


Blood for Water

by RegalGirl94



Series: Blood [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Teen Wolf AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 18:44:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 46,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17792720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RegalGirl94/pseuds/RegalGirl94
Summary: Jessica Hansen thought moving to Beacon Hills was just convenient. It was just where her parents grew up. But while making new friends a even a new love interest, Jessie begins to uncover secrets within Beacon Hills as well as her own unknown origins and past that may unlock something within her that she doesn't think she can control. Isaac/OC. AU-ish. No Mary Sue.





	1. It All Started With...

**Author's Note:**

> I love Teen Wolf and I'm already written up to season four with this story so I'll be bulk posting on here what's on fanfiction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trailer here:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0L6ukE013k&t=2s

CHAPTER ONE

IT ALL STARTED WITH...

It was late in the school year when my parents moved us from Portland to Beacon Hills. I was at least glad that there seemed to be a lot of woods for hiking. My dad got laid off at his hospital and there was an opening in Beacon Hills according to his old High School friend, Melissa. My mom was a stay at home mom but she was starting to get stir crazy and talked about getting a job, even if it was a small part time one.

We made the drive in record time. I was glad that I didn't get car sick because my dad's driving was insane. When the car stopped, I tumbled out of the car and bent to kiss the ground. Mom laughed at me and my little sister, Bethany, told me how gross I was. I rolled my eyes and started to unload the moving van.

"Honey, leave it," my mom told me when she saw me lifting a box, "We've got movers to lift the heavy stuff inside."

I dropped the box back in the van and lugged my suit case into the house. It was a modest four bedroom house and I could see the ticking in my mother's brain as she envisioned what she would paint the walls. The outside was a nice tan color with red trimmings.

"What color do you want for your rooms?" Mom called from the kitchen where she was gazing at the white walls with a contemplating expression on her face.

Bethany immediately called back, "Light Medium Pink."

I chuckled and stood in the kitchen to shovel out pots and pans. "What about your room, Jessie?"

I shrugged, "I don't know..."

"Come on," my dad goaded, walking into the kitchen with another box, "You're one of the most creative people I know. Why don't you draw something to paint on your walls?"

I scrunched up my face at the idea, "Uhh..."

"Start drafting while we wait for the movers," Mom suggested, "We'll keep your stuff away from the walls so you'll have room later."

I nodded, "Sure," and went on up to my room with my sketchpad.

[TW]

Like I said, it all started with my nack for volunteer work. I was in the National Honor Society at my old school because my mom was always a do gooder type. I heard there wasn't a NHS at the school here so I wanted to do something, even if it was just to occupy myself while I had nothing to do in this little town. So my dad hooked me up with a 'job' reading to the more permanent patients at the hospital. I would also hang out with the little kids.

I would visit Alzheimer patients and burn victims and terminal cases. Mostly those who didn't get a lot of visitors.

I had been doing the job for two weeks now and loving it. You never learn from anywhere else what you can learn from someone facing death. I also found myself feeling the pain they felt, feeling sorry for them.

I felt the most sorry for one of the burn victims. He was also in this comatose like state. I don't really get the blow by blow of why people are in the hospital, just the title – coma, cancer, third-degree burns, Alzheimer, and so on.

His name was Peter Hale and he'd been in some huge house fire. He was the only survivor. He had a niece and nephew who weren't in the house and the rest of his family was burned alive. Of course, my dad and his friend Melissa McCall didn't tell me this. But I heard rumors from some of the other nurses who saw me going into his room. He had one regular nurse who didn't like me very much. I always managed to interrupt something she was doing and the thing was, she knew when I was coming in, I always let her know. So I really couldn't do anything to be more helpful.

It was the winter break and a Monday and I was reading The Great Gatsby to Peter. "I wonder if everyone has a green light." It was almost mandatory for me to go on a rant and talk to him about something I was reading. "I mean – something they love and spend all their energy wanting and reaching for and maybe they even get it for a little while and know what it's like to have it... but in the end it really wasn't meant to be. Gatsby's green light was Daisy. They loved each other but it wasn't meant to be but he believed in it right to the very end."

I closed the book and peered at me watch and sighed, "Time to go... I guess. But Peter?" I looked down at him from my seat by the window. He didn't react. I didn't expect him to. The whole right side of his face and down his body was morphed in waxy and twisted raw red burnt skin. His unseeing bright blue eyes faced out the window. I always turned him toward the window so he could see the woods outside behind the hospital. "Your green light is waking up. So be like Gatsby – the only character I can actually stand in this book by the way – and believe in it. Your ending will be different."

With that, I walked out of his hospital room to head home. I got on my bike and rode home and when I got there, mom had dinner ready on the table. Beth was already stuffing her face with the ravioli and Dad wasn't home yet – being a surgeon was demanding in the ER – so it was just us girls. I greeted them and started gathering the pasta as well as some corn and bread.

"So I have a little announcement," Mom giggled with a pleased smile on her face, "I got a job!"

"What?" Bethany gurgled with her full mouth of mush.

I crinkled my face in disgust at her, "Close your mouth," before looking at my mom at the head of the table, "Where?"

"At this little bakery by the bowling alley," Mom beamed, "And in other good news – Melissa told your father that the vet's office her son works at is looking for a receptionist. If you're interested."

I shrugged, "I could go check it out. But mom – when is my car getting here? I can't keep stealing Beth's bike."

"It should be here in a week or so," she told me, "We got the new battery and an oil change and your brother will be driving it here for his visit and then flying out when he leaves."

I nodded. My brother Baako was a junior in college and planning to study abroad for the next semester in Africa. He wanted to get closer to his country of origin and in turn closer to his birth parents.

That's something you don't know about me – I'm adopted. My parents told me that I was born in Beacon Hills and they adopted me after my parents died in a car accident and one month later moved to Portland for dad's work. Baako was adopted before me by a year even though he was about four years older than me. But Bethany was their biological daughter. Mom got pregnant and it was a miracle. Right when they gave up hope of ever getting pregnant.

But I'm not one of the adopted kids who's convinced they were abandoned and that their adoptive parents will never love them they way they love their 'real' child. I am my mother and father's real daughter, just as much as Bethany is. We're a happy family.

[TW]

I took my mom's advice and went into the vet's office to ask about that job. It was a small office and I noticed a desk at the front and a hallway leading to some back room. "Hello?"

"Just a minute!" A boy's voice called out. And about thirty seconds later, a tan boy with floppy black curls came out with a simple smile, "Can I help you?"

I fiddled with my hands awkwardly, "Yeah, I umm... was just here about the receptionist job. A friend of my dad's tipped me onto it."

"Are you Mr. Hansen's daughter?" He asked curiously to which I nodded. He smiled friendlily, "I'm Scott. My mom is your dad's friend. Give me a sec and I can get my boss for you."

"Great, thanks," I smiled, running my fingers over my resume.

Soon enough Scott walked out with a dark skinned man in a white lab coat behind him. He smiled welcoming and introduced himself, "Hello, I am Mr. Deaton. You must be Jessica Hansen?"

"Please call me Jessie," I smiled brightly, shaking his hand, "I understand there's a receptionist position available?"

Deaton smiled and nodded, "Of course – it is a small town and not a lot of young people want to work in a dingy little vet office."

I shrugged, "You seem to do alright. My dad being a doctor – I'm kind of into the healing type of thing. I have my resume." I held up the piece of paper.

He took it gladly, "I think we'll be in touch soon Miss Hansen."

[TW]

He was right. He called just two days later saying the job was mine and asking me to come in for orientation. Mom was thrilled and said it was like we were meant to be back in Beacon Hills. Of course this gave Beth an excuse to gripe more about the fact that she was born in Portland, not Beacon Hills. We all just rolled our eyes when she said that. She just liked to complain to hear the sound of her own voice.

Working at the vets office was uneventful. I just checked in pets and checked them out and did inventory. I never actually worked on the animals – I wasn't the vet. But I played with some of them before they were picked up. Scott was a good guy too. We hung out on down time and while Deaton stepped out. Sometimes I left on my lunch break and picked up food for all of us.

But no matter what – I liked what I was doing at the hospital even more. Visiting Peter and the other patients just seemed a little more rewarding than helping various pet owners sign their pooch in for a check up.

Today I didn't work so I went into the hospital. I signed in and immediately went to Peter's room. I let myself in, "Hey Peter, sorry I haven't-"

But he wasn't alone in the room. A tan man stood in front of him with a blank expression with just a hint of a coldness in it. I gasped, "Sorry! I didn't meant to interrupt-"

"There's not much to interrupt," The man intervened, "He doesn't respond."

"Well he can still hear us," I told him, hopefully, "It's nice to have support so he can heal."

"It's been years."

"I do know this," I told him smartly, "Some things take time – that's all he needs."

The man's cold gaze switched between me and Peter until it landed on me, "Who are you?"

I shifted on my feet awkwardly, "I'm Jessie. I read to Peter. We're reading Catcher in the Rye now."

He didn't seem impressed as he trained his eyes back on Peter. I was tempted to walk over and turn him toward the window. But I refrained. I cleared my throat and looked at the man, "And you are?"

"Derek," He replied passively, "Peter is my uncle."

"Oh," I sighed, "Oh."

"What oh?" Derek almost growled, glaring at me now.

I weaved my arms together in front of me, "It's just that I've heard about what happened. I guess that's why I've spent most of my time with Peter. It seemed like he had no one. I'm glad to know he has you."

"Well," He huffed, "As long as you're glad."

I stood a little straighter and stared at him, "Would you like me to leave, Derek?"

"That won't be necessary, I was just leaving," He said quickly and prepared to stalk out of the room.

"Derek?" I stopped him at the door.

He turned his head to look down at me, "What?"

I licked my lips, thinking of a way to tell him this without sounding like a lunatic, "I have a feeling about Peter. I think he's a lot stronger than people give him credit for. Just don't give up on him, okay?"

He said nothing and continued walking out. I followed him with my eyes before looking back at Peter. I grabbed his chair and wheeled him to the window, "That's a real nice nephew you got there Peter." I bent down to kiss his cheek briefly before sitting in front of him and opening the book, "Now where did we leave off last time?"


	2. Brother Baako

CHAPTER TWO

BROTHER BAAKO

"Hey Jessie," Scott called as he walked to the front room to talk to me.

I smiled at him, "Hey Scott, whats up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted me to show you around – actually me and my best friend Stiles," He offered.

"That sounds great," I nodded, "I don't really know what there is to do around here."

He shrugged, "Not much unfortunately. There's bowling and the movie theater." He scratched the back of his neck before shrugging, "But mostly we just hang out – go eat at the diner or something."

"Sounds... fun," I laughed, "Is Stiles in our grade?" Both Scott and I were going into the same year of High School.

"Yeah – If you're free tonight we can all go bowling. I suck at it but they've got good cheese fries," He offered.

I laughed at the thought of Scott bowling and falling but I gave him an apologetic look, "I can't tonight, my brother is coming to visit. He's an incoming Junior at college in Washington and he leaves for Africa for the next semester."

As I was saying this the door was opened by my mother who was here to pick me up. "Hey mom."

"Hi, are you ready to go, we've got a lot of food to make," She then saw Scott and smiled a great big smile, "You must be Scott, Melissa's boy."

He smiled awkwardly and shook her hand, "Nice to meet you Mrs. Hansen."

She waved her hand bashfully at the title, "Oh call me Paula. Now my husband has already told your mother this but you both have been invited to dinner tonight. And that little friend of yours too. I've also invited a friend of mine and her family and it's going to be a big celebration. We all look forward to having you."

"Great," Scott nearly squeaked.

I laughed and stood, gathering my things, "See you tonight then. Bye Scott."

[TW]

I was overjoyed to see my brother pull up in my Honda. I squealed and abandoned the mashed potatoes in the kitchen and ran out the front door. My brother was tall, well over six feet, with broad shoulders and bulky arms that made him look scary to other people but he was really one of the sweetest people you could ever meet and the best big brother in the world.

"Baako!" I yelled and ran to meet him. I threw my arms around him and he picked me up swinging us around in a circle, "How you've been Jessie girl?" That was his nick name for me, adapted from Jessie's Girl. Clever, no?

"I got a job at a vets office and I volunteer at Dad's hospital. I finally cracked and painted my room and Bethany tells us everyday how unfair life is for her," I told him the run down and smirked, "You know – the usual."

He smirked back, "Where is Bethy?"

"Baako!" the she-devil screamed launching herself at Baako. He smiled and hugged her back, lifting her the way he lifted me. Mom and dad came walking out with smiles on their faces. Dad hugged him first and mom fussed over him like mothers do. He took it always in stride – he was always such a mommas boy.

"We've got friends coming to dinner so we can have a big thing of having you home," Mom was telling just as a car pulled up.

"There's some of them now," Dad announced going over to greet Melissa.

THIRD PERSON POV

Stiles' knee was bouncing in the back seat as Melissa pulled up to the curb of a nice tan and red house where people were talking on the driveway. Scott and Stiles got waved over by Jessie as her father greeted Melissa.

Jessie smiled widely, obviously happy to have her brother home, "Hey guys, this is my brother Baako. Baako this is Scott from work and his friend... Stiles, right?"

Stiles smiled a little nervously – she was really pretty – and nodded, "Yep, Stiles Stilinski." The boys looked at this Baako and almost shrunk back into themselves in fear and confusion. The guy was big and bulky and... black. Jessie's skin was almost as pale as a vampire. It was really a jumbled family. Only Bethany really looked related to their parents with her tan skin to match her dad and her blonde hair to match her mom. Jessie's hair was a extremely dark brown and wavy. It didn't make sense.

Just then a very sleek and expensive looking car drove up and parked by the Honda in the driveway. A woman with dark blonde hair cut to her shoulders and bright blue eyes in a casual dress excitedly exited the car and greeted Jessie's mother with what Jessie had always called 'the cheerleader greet'.

Paula excitedly introduced the woman, "Guys this is my best friend from High School – Sarah Stanley." She then paused and giggled, "Oops. I guess it's Sarah Whittemore now."

The woman smiled and nodded, "This is my husband David and our son Jackson."

Scott and Stiles gaped as their nemesis Jackson Whittemore sauntered up with his father to the group. He smirked at the boys expressions and muttered a, "Nice to meet you."

Jessie looked confused at the looks on the boys faces but greeted Jackson none the less. He smirked at her, turning on the charm. The adults had all wandered into the house, talking about the old days and Bethany followed.

Stiles bursted with the question that had been playing on his mind, "Okay – how do you have a black brother?"

Jessie gaped at him before bursting into laughter, "Wow – no one's ever been that blunt before."

Scott elbowed his friend in the ribs, "Very tactful, Stiles."

Jessie smiled and shook her head, "No it's okay. Baako and I are adopted," She gestured to her and her brother, looking at all three guys.

Baako grinned at put an arm around her shoulders, "But we're family."

Jackson faltered when learning that this girl and her brother were adopted. He assumed Baako was just another friend or something. He didn't understand how Jessie and Baako could be so cavalier with such a fact. But they seemed like a happy family.

JESSIE'S POV

I gestured toward the door and started to walk down the walk way, "Let's go inside. Dinner's just about ready."

The boys all followed me into the house where we smelled cinnamon and beef. Mom made hamburgers, mash potatoes, peas and cinnamon apples. My mouth watered at the smell. I quickly claimed a seat by my brother with Beth on my other side. The adults sat toward the head of the table all jumbled up and Scott, Stiles and Jackson sat across from Baako, myself and Bethany respectively.

The conversation was amiable at best between bites of food and questions of 'can you pass the apples'.

"So," Sarah pulled the teens attention to her, "I haven't seen little Baako since you guys moved when he was four," she mentioned, "And I've only seen pictures of you Jessie and Bethany."

I shrugged, "Not so little anymore, right?"

She smiled, pleased at my friendliness, "Of course, you're a young woman now. You're going to be the same year as Jackson?"

I nodded, "Yeah – looking forward to it."

"And Baako, I understand you're studying cultural anthropology?" She asked, seeming quite interested.

Baako nodded bashfully, "Yeah I hope to work in identifying people in a lot of the third world countries."

"He's going to study abroad in South Africa," I told her, "We're not thrilled he'll be so far away but we're excited for him."

"Of course," She replied, "And have you thought about what you want to do Jessie?"

I shrugged, "I've given it some thought. I want to get into History. Somehow, I'm still figuring that part out."

"Are you interested in teaching?" David Whittemore asked curiously. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jackson frown into his plate, like he was embarrassed or contemplative. I didn't say anything.

I shook my head to his father though, "Not really teaching, more like researching. Archives, discovery, learning. Stuff like that. I just need to find out how to turn that into a career."

He seemed impressed, "There's actually many venues you can look into."

"And I will," I said before taking a bite of my food so as to avoid more talking about my future.

The adults started another conversation within themselves while Stiles Scott and I talked to Baako about what he was doing in college. Bethany glared into her plate and I chanced looks toward Jackson when I felt.. something. I don't know. He'd been off. I couldn't really tell much since I had just met him. But he just seemed off.

Then my brother mentioned transferring.

"What?" Beth and I asked at the same time.

He grinned at our shock, "I miss you guys too much. I can go anywhere seamlessly and there just so happens to be a school just a half hour out of town that will take me. There's also an internship program a half hour further and I can get an apartment here and be the over protective big brother I love to be."

I rolled my eyes, "Have you told mom and dad?"

He shrugged, "Who do you think set it up?"

I laughed, "Of course," and gave him a side hug.

The night didn't end with dinner. The parents thought it would be marvelous to play a game of charades. I opted to be the referee since I hated the game and I was the worse mime ever. It was boys against girls. Melissa and mom took turns shouting at Sarah while Baako and Dad laughed at them and Stiles and Scott watched with embarrassment.

It was then that I noticed Jackson was missing. Bethany had already escaped to her room before the games started. I looked around and didn't see him in the living room. I walked out of the room and into the dining room and he was sitting back in the same seat he had been sitting in at dinner. He was just sitting there staring blankly at the brown wooden table.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I interrupted whatever staring contest he was having.

He jolted and looked up at me in shock that he hadn't heard me come in. He then proceeded to scoff, "My thoughts are worth more than a fricking penny."

I shrugged, "I'm new to such a transaction." I took the seat across from him and leaned my elbows on the table, "Why don't you tell me what's on your mind? For free."

"And why would I do that?" He smirked slowly.

I shrugged, "Because you acted weird today. And I noticed some of the worried glances your mom has been giving you all night. And I know you may not trust me – which is okay, I mean, you just met me – but sometimes even when you can't talk to the people in your life, you still need to talk to someone. And I'm a hell of a lot cheaper than a therapist."

That got a little chuckle from him. He grew quiet, his face growing serious. Pensive almost. "You're really adopted?"

I nodded, confused, "Yeah. Baako and I are really adopted. It's pretty obvious."

"No, I know, but..." He trailed off, thoughtfully, "When did you know? How?"

I leaned back in my seat, "Well I always knew that Baako was adopted. My parents couldn't really hide it. They told me when I was ten."

"How'd you take it?" He asked.

"I was furious," I revealed, "I felt lied to... betrayed... I barely spoke to my parents for months. But I understood eventually."

"Understood being lied to for most of your life?" He asked, puzzled.

"Every person has insecurities," I put off, "My parents were afraid that I would think I wasn't their real daughter and that I'd reject them once I found out that I didn't have blood ties to them. They went through the same thing with Baako. And he helped me understand. But just because they didn't give birth to me doesn't mean that they aren't my parents. Or that Baako isn't my brother and Bethany isn't my sister. If you think about it... my parents chose to take me in and take care of me. Adoption is difficult but they did it anyway. They didn't have to raise me or my brother or even Beth. But they did. And I love them," I shrugged, "That's all there is to it."

"And just like that," Jackson shook his head in disbelief, "everything's okay."

"It wasn't a seamless transition," I grimaced, "It took time. Why this topic of conversation?"

He adverted his eyes, "No reason."

"Jackson?" His eyes flashed up to mine and I tried to convey compassion, "Did you find out that you're adopted?"

He seemed to struggled with the answer, breathing deeply in through his nose and scowling, "Yeah."

"It's not an easy thing to swallow, is it?" I asked softly.

"No," He answered briefly, "And how do you handle it?"

"You're parents love you Jackson," I told him, "It may take time to deal with it, but I'm one hundred percent sure that your parents will be with you the whole way. And if you ever need to talk," I spoke, taking a pen out from my pocket I was using to keep score to write my number on his palm, "Just call. Now let's get back to the game."


	3. First Day of School

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that this is an OC-insert, so there will be some AU elements as adding new people changes the plot some.

CHAPTER THREE

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

After that, the break flew by like nothing. Between work, volunteering, and wandering around town with Scott and Stiles and a few phone calls from Jackson, I hardly noticed the time escape. Before I knew it, the first day of school had arrived.

And I was late.

I cursed as I jumped up on one leg, slipping on my flats and fixing my gray cardigan over my green tank top and black jeans. I grabbed my tan book bag and ran out the door to my Honda. Mom called me back and I huffed, "What?"

"I called the school – they know you're coming in late excused," She smiled and I breathed a sigh of relief. "Just go and don't forget you have work today."

I inwardly rolled my eyes at her and called out, "Love you!" before jumped into my car and driving off.

When I got there to meet with the principal there was another girl sitting in one of the chairs on the phone. She hung up and smiled at me briefly about to say something before the door opened and out walked a blonde man with glasses – the principal I'm guessing.

"Hello," He said to me, "You must be Jessica Hansen." I shook his hand and apologized for being late. He just made a joke about hoping it wasn't a regular occurrence. He then turned to the other girl, "Sorry to keep you waiting." He led us across the quad, "So, Miss Argent, you were saying San Francisco isn't where you grew up?"

She smiled embarrassed, "No, but we stayed for more than a year which is unusual in my family. We kind of bounce around a lot because of my Dad's work."

He let us into the building and down a hallway, "Well, hopefully, Beacon Hills is your last stop for a while. And I hope you feel at home here, Miss Hansen, both of you."

I nodded, "Thanks."

"It looks like you've got the same class right now," He smiled, opening a door to our right and walking in, gesturing a hand to us as we walked in, "Class, these are our new students, Allison Argent and Jessica Hansen. Please do your best to make them feel welcome."

I looked around the room and noticed that Scott and Stiles were in the class. Stiles smiled and waved his hand to the seat next to him and I smiled back, gratefully, and took the seat. Scott's full undivided attention was following Allison as she took the seat in front of him. I watched as he gave her a pen and was blown away by her smile.

[TW]

Allison seemed like a sweet girl. When class was over she waited for me and introduced herself. Scott held back and Stiles walked off before noticing Scott's absence and coming back.

"Hi, I'm Allison, you're new also?" She asked.

I nodded, "From Portland. We moved for my dad's job at the hospital here because my parents grew up here."

"We move around a lot because my dad works in selling firearms," She offered, "What class do you have next?"

We found out we had the same class next and the same lunch so we decided to stick together. I couldn't keep the smirk off my face as Scott dreamily watched after Allison as we walked away.

Later at lunch we stuck together again in the lunch line. We got to the front to pay and when the cashier broke a roll of quarters, the coins all fell to the ground. Allison and I bent to help her gather them up and when we collected our food and prepared to walk off there was suddenly a girl in front of us with red hair and stylish girly girl style in high heels, "That jacket is absolutely killer. Where did you get it?" She asked Allison.

Allison peered at herself, flustered, before answering, "My mom was a buyer for a boutique back in San Francisco."

"And that bag?" She pointed a manicured nail at my tan book bag.

I shrugged, "Made it at this shop I worked at in Portland where you can design your own stuff."

She seemed to deem us worthy because she then decided that, "You're sitting with me."

She pushed herself between us and took our arms, leading us to the popular table I could only guess. There sat Jackson who pulled her onto his lap. She wasn't phased and kept talking, "Is your hair naturally that color?"

I answered, "Yes," and said 'Hi' to Jackson.

She peered at her boyfriend and then at me, "You two know each other?"

I nodded, "Our moms were friends in High School. There was a family dinner so they could catch up."

She nodded and accepted the answer, telling us her name was Lydia and that she was our go-to girl now. I inwardly shrugged.

As lunch went on one of the senior boys sitting at the table asked Allison out to a party.

"A party?" she asked.

"Friday night. We could go together," He suggested.

"I can't," She replied, "It's Family night this Friday. But thanks for asking." She seemed a little uncomfortable but I found it highly amusing.

"You sure? Everyone's going after the scrimmage game."

"You mean like football?" She asked curiously.

"They play lacrosse here," I told her.

"We won the state championship the last three years-" Jackson was bragging.

Lydia interrupted, "Because of a certain team captain."

Jackson smirked, "Every season starts with a scrimmage to decide the new first string. You ever watch lacrosse?"

Allison shook her head.

"Maybe you should just come see for yourself," Jackson suggested, "Both of you," he looked at me, "We have practice today. You don't have to be anywhere right after school, do you?"

"Well, no-" Allison started.

"Perfect," Lydia smiled, "You're coming."

"Wish I could but I have work after school," I told them, "But I'll see you at that party."

Lydia smiled, "We can get ready together."

I smiled and thanked her as we exchanged numbers and made plans. She knew the perfect outfit I could borrow that would look great on me. She seemed a little too narcissistic and materialistic. But she was sweet and welcoming. I figured it wouldn't do well to antagonize her or anyone before I got to know them. Dad said I was always one to give people too many chances. Mom said I just always wanted to see the best in people.

[TW]

That night I got home after seven and dinner was just being put on the table. I excused myself early after eating so I could shower. I was wringing my wet hair in a towel in my pajamas when there was a knock at my door. "Come in."

My mom poked her head through the door and held out a large manilla package toward me, "This came for you today. From your extended family."

I froze at that. Yes, I had family. Biological family that was still living. My parents only told me that they couldn't take care of me and thought I was better off staying in America. They did give my parents some requests though. That they keep my given surname as my middle name. That I learn Latin and Romanian and German. That I be trained in defense. I had so much fun that I asked to learn how to shoot if I needed to and how to use nun chucks. It took about a month and a half to convince my parents that that was a good idea.

When I asked why I had to learn all this stuff, all my parents knew was that it was important to my family and that they'd tell me when I was ready.

I shook myself out of my thoughts and grabbed the envelope, "It's been three years since we've heard from them."

"I know," mom breathed, "But maybe you can finally get some answers now. It felt like a book was in there."

I ripped open the envelope and dumped the contents onto my bed spread. It wasn't a book. It was a stack of letters tied together with ribbon and some other documents.

"Wow," I mumbled, holding one of the documents, "It's my birth certificate."

"The original one?" Mom asked, sitting in front of me on the bed.

I nodded and set it down, looking at the other papers. I noticed that some of them were pictures. One of the pictures must have been of me before my biological parents died. A man was holding me. We had the same eyes. A woman sat beside him, with my hair, smiling at the baby me.

The thing that shocked me was how young they looked. They didn't look much older than me...

"Were they teen parents?" I asked, looking up at my mom.

She looked up thoughtfully, "I never met them... but I think it was mentioned how young they were. Seventeen, I think."

"Maybe they were going to keep me – do you think?" I asked, looking at another picture of my pregnant mother with my father kissing her large belly.

"I think so," Mom told me honestly, "I'm sure they would have raised you themselves if they got the chance."

I peered quietly and moved to gather the papers and put them back in the package when I noticed there was something heavier inside. I opened it wider and peaked in, seeing a large metal key. I pulled it out and held it up in the lamp light. It was on a silver chain and a metallic gray color with an intricate design. (Pic on profile).

"What do you think this goes to?" I asked my mom.

"It has to be something here," She pondered, "Can't be a house key or anything. Their houses were sold after they died and their respective families moved. As I understand it, your father didn't have much family other than his parents. This is all from your mothers family... they did arrange your parents burial."

"Burial?" I asked, "What do you mean? They paid for the head stones and coffins?"

"They had a small mausoleum built to house your parents and anything that they wanted kept with the bodies. It was a family thing on your mom's side to be buried with something of value and to be kept above ground."

"Is it here? In Beacon Hills?" I asked her.

She nodded, "Maybe the key opens it. Things like that are kept locked for safety."

I held the key up and placed the long chain around my neck.

[TW]

I was running late again but this time I made it to school in time to stop at my locker. I wore better shoes – blue sneakers – and a simple white sun dress. My hair was braided into a fish tail at the side of my head and the key hung from my neck. I kept the package in my book bag and planned to go to the mausoleum today after school as I didn't have work.

The bell rang making me curse to myself. I quickly stuffed my books in the locker and scurried off. Unfortunately I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going and I ran into a body. I gasped, my book bag falling open and notebooks falling out.

"I-I'm s-sorry," the body said, a boy.

I looked up. He was cute. With blue eyes and curly brown tufts of hair on his head. His face was pale and his cheekbones high yet soft. He looked scared and shy. I smiled at him, "No, I wasn't looking where I was going. My bad."

I started to gather my stuff and he bent down to help me. He picked up the envelope that had fallen on the floor and he held it out to me, "Here." I took it with a grateful smile, "Thank you," and shoved it into my bag. "I'm sorry to hit and run but I'm late." And then I went on my way to class.

[TW]

Stiles and Scott asked me to come to their practice to help cheer Scott so he could make first string. I watched from the stands for a little while but then they started to play. Stiles was sitting by himself so I walked down to sit next to him.

"Why are you so jumpy?" I asked him. He'd been jittery since yesterday – actually both he and Scott had been jittery.

"It's just.." He sighed, "Something's up with Scott."

"What do you mean?" I looked at Scott as he tore through the plays. He and Jackson collided and he kicked dirt up as he fell to the ground. Coach's whistle blew. Jackson stood over Scott as he picked up the ball and Scott pushed himself back up. The whistle blew again.

"Well.. I tend to listen to my dad's police scanner," I rose an eyebrow at that and he shrugged, "Well – I do. And I heard about a body in the woods and dragged Scott to look for the other half with me-"

"Other half?" I interrupted, eyes wide.

"Moving on, please," Stiles blew off, "Anyway there was something there. Scott said he heard a wolf."

"This is California," I pointed out, "There haven't been any wolves here-"

"In like sixty years," Stiles finished for me, "I know, that's what I said. But he swears he heard it. We got separated when my dad caught me and he was running from something. It bit him. But the next day – yesterday – he says it was completely healed."

"So let me get this straight," I pursed my lips in thought, "You listen to your dad's police scanner, heard about half of a dead body missing and thought 'hey, wouldn't it be fun to go look for half of a body in the middle of the woods in the middle of the night?' and got Scott to go gallivanting around the forest until something went after you and bit Scott and the next day there's conveniently no bite mark anymore? Does that about sum it up?"

"Well... when you say it like that, it sounds crazy..." he mumbled.

"It does sound crazy!" I raised my voice, turning my attention back to the field in time to see Scott charging for the goal. He dodged every attempt to block him and twisted out of Jackson's way, flipping forward and leaping over the defense, parachuting the ball right into the net.

"Holy crap," I gaped.

"McCall, get over here!" Coach Finstock shouted.

Scott nervously trotted over.

"What in the name of God was that?" Coach asked, "This is a lacrosse field. Are you trying out for gymnastics?"

"No, Coach," Scott answered sheepishly.

"Then what the hell was that?"

Scott shrugged, "I don't know. I was just trying to make the shot."

"Well, you made the shot," Coach said unnecessarily, "And guess what? You just made starting lineup."

Cheers erupted and the other team mates clapped Scott on the back.

"This is not good," Stiles breathed out.

[TW]

Scott had work today but I didn't so I drove to the cemetery after school. It was very... sad to be there. I felt like an outsider. I hadn't really lost my parents, I never knew them. But at the same time I had so many questions growing up and I needed answers.

I had a hard time finding it. I probably roamed the place for twenty minutes before I heard, "Hey!" behind me.

I quickly turned around to see the boy I bumped into today jogging up to me. He was slightly breathless when he got to me. I pointed at him dumbly and stated, "You're the guy I bumped today."

He nodded shyly, flustered when he asked, "What are you doing here?"

I wondered whether or not I could tell him – I mean it was harmless to visit your biological parents graves. "I came to visit. You?"

He seemed like he didn't really want to answer because he didn't like the answer. He awkwardly scratched his head, "I.. uh, work here."

I snorted, "You're a grave digger? That's depressing."

He half-smiled with a light chuckle of relief, "I get paid."

"Do you know your way around?" I asked him, casting one look around the place in a last ditch effort to find the mausoleum.

"Yeah – I do," He answered me.

"Do you know where I can find a mausoleum here?" I asked him, "I've actually never been before and I didn't think it would be hard to find."

He gave me an odd look like it was a question he didn't get every day but he nodded ultimately and started leading me further to the back of the graveyard. I made the lame joke of if he was luring me to my death to which he immediately denied, jittery and nervous. I put a hand on his arm, "Relax. What's got you all flustered?"

He immediately answered, "You," and then blushed profusely and looked like he was cursing himself for his 'stupidity'.

I laughed, "Aw, I'm flattered." I leaned up and kissed his cheek. And that just made him blush even worse.

"So there's only two mausoleums – one for a man named Ren Torvus and and a couple... I don't remember their names..."

"It's the couple I'm looking for," I interrupted him.

"Okay, it's just up here," He told me, gesturing forward and I saw the mausoleums side by side.

I walked up to the one he pointed to and saw the names on the front. Wesley George Sange and Tanya Rose Sange. Together Forever.

"Who were they?" He asked.

I was still frozen, staring at the names of my dead biological parents, "They were my parents."

He immediately gulped at his 'faux pa' and started to apologize. I turned to face him and waved it off, "It's okay. They died when I was just a baby. I'm adopted in a great family."

He nodded and then I suddenly realized something. We didn't even know each other's names. I face palmed, "Oh wow – I'm so rude," I put out my hand, "I'm Jessie – Hansen."

He shyly took my hand, "Isaac Lahey."

I smiled at the feel of his skin, it was soft and warm and gave me butterflies. "It's nice to meet you."

He mumbled something to himself that sound like 'you have no idea' but out loud he said, "Well, I'm sure you want some privacy. I'm sorry that I don't have the key but those only go to family..." he trailed off with an embarrassed smile as I pulled the key out of my dress, "Ah."

"I'll see you at school?" I asked hopefully.

He nodded as he stepped back, "I hope so."

When he was gone I took the key from my neck and slid it into the large intricate door. It unlocked easily with a creak but it took a couple minutes to push the stiff stone door open. The inside seemed much larger but I knew it was all the same size. There was two coffins laid on stone tables side by side, my parents names etched in gold lettering on each wooden surface.

Tanya Sange

December 12, 1978 – October 14, 1995

Wesley Sange

June 24th, 1978 – October 14, 1995

They were only 17 when they died... only a few months after I was born. I traced my mother's name with my fingers before looking around more.

There was some sort of lowered mantle with drawers. I opened one and found – holy shit. There was a ton of weapons in... nearly all of these drawers. There was one that was closest to the end of the building that had a bunch of books in it. I pulled one out, bound in leather and a tie, and opened it. It appeared to be a journal written in feminine hand writing. I looked at the spine and saw Tanya Torvus engraved in it. That must be my mother's maiden name.

I sighed and stuffed all the journals into my emptied book bag. Then I went home only to receive a text from Stiles.

Come to my house.

He gave me directions and I headed over there. When I arrived and knocked on the door a man opened it and asked, "Hello?"

I stuttered upon seeing his sheriffs uniform, "I'm a friend of Stiles... do I have the right address?"

"Yeah you're in the right place," He answered, "I'm Stiles' father."

"I'm Jessie," I shook his hand and he told me to go on upstairs to Stiles room where he and Scott were.

When I got to the closed door I could hear Stiles saying, "No, they're still questioning people. Even Derek Hale-"

Then I knocked and immediately walked in, "What about Derek?"

"You know who he is?" Scott asked wide eyed as I walked into the room.

I nodded, "I volunteer at the hospital and read to his Uncle – who is in a coma from that house fire."

"Oh my god," Stiles cut me off, "Moving on from what could be a very disturbing conversation – Remember that werewolf joke? Not a joke anymore. The wolf. The bite in the woods. I started doing all this reading and – do you even know why a wolf howls?"

Scott shrugged dumbly so I rolled my eyes and answered, "It howls to call it's pack. To call for help or a gathering."

"Exactly," Stiles confirmed, "So if you heard a howl that means there's others. Maybe a whole pack."

"Of werewolves?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You're seriously wasting my time with this?" Scott griped, "I'm picking up Allison up in an hour."

"We saw you on that field tonight," Stiles said pointing between me and himself, "It was impossible."

"So I made a good shot," Scott said.

"Scott I'm trained in defense fighting and have been doing gymnastics since I was seven years old," I told him in a deadpan, "Even I couldn't pull that move off on a whim like that without stretching first."

"I stretched..." He tried but I shook my head.

"And then there's the hearing, the senses, and don't think I haven't noticed that you don't need your inhaler anymore," Stiles pointed out accusatory, "You haven't used it since that night."

"I can't think about this now," Scott waved us off, "We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"

"Don't you get it?" Stiles shouted, blocking him from leaving, "The full moon is tonight."

"What are you trying to do?" Scott yelled back, "I just made starting lineup. I have a date with a girl I can't believe actually wants to go out with me. Everything in my life is somehow perfect. Why are you trying to ruin it?"

"I'm trying to help," Stiles told him, "With a full moon it's going to be too hard to resist and there's no going back. You're cursed, Scott. And it's not only that the moon causes you to change, it's also when your blood lust will be at its peak."

"Blood lust?" Scott asked naively.

"It means you'll want to kill," I stated, "In all the movies, werewolves change because of anger or anything the raises their pulse. Like the Hulk. That includes pretty girls."

"You have to cancel," Stiles sighed.

Scott just shook his head, "No. I can't." And he shoved past us and out the door.


	4. Butterflies

Stiles and I decided to go to the party and watch out for Scott. I left for Lydia's to change into a fitting red dress, black jacket and high healed black boots she let me borrow. I curled my hair quickly and left for the party. It was in full blast when we got there and I quickly found Stiles by some fire pit while Lydia left to find Jackson.

I was on my way to him when someone bumped into me. I looked up as they stuttered apologies and saw that is was Isaac. I smiled brightly at seeing him so soon again, "Hey!"

He smiled back, surprised to see me, "Jessie!"

"I didn't know you were going to be here," I mentioned to carry on conversation.

"I didn't know you were going to be here either," He replied.

I laughed and he asked me if I wanted a drink. I shook my head, "No thanks – I don't drink."

"I was just gonna get a coke," He told me as if to ease my worries.

I shook my head, "That's okay. Do you want to dance?"

He smiled sweetly, "That seems like a good compromise."

I took his hand and led him onto the dance floor as a fast song came on. Isaac wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck as we moved our hips together to the music. I felt a heat and frenzy of butterflies in the pit of my stomach. Isaac pressed his forehead against mine as we rocked back and forth. I ran a hand down his arm, intertwining our fingers on my back before turning around, pressing my shoulders to his chest. His arms wrapped me tighter to me just as someone bumped into us.

I saw Scott holding his head and running off. I turned to Isaac, "That's my friend – I gotta go see what's wrong."

"Yeah – go," He murmured absently so I took the cue to run after Scott. I ran into Stiles on the way and he stopped me, "Stay here. He's not himself and I don't want you to get hurt."

I sighed but stayed put and eventually went to find Isaac again. I found him by the fire pit and sat next to him, "Stiles is taking care of Scott. He had a little too much to drink I guess."

He smiled upon seeing me and chuckled, "I guess it's a good thing you turned down that drink then."

I laughed and answered, "I guess so. So how'd you get into grave digging?"

He looked down at his feet and shrugged, "My dad gave me the job."

"Do you like it?" I asked him curiously. There was just something about him that made me want to get to know him. He seemed shy and quiet, but the type of shy and quiet that suggests he's really sweet once you get to know him. But he also seemed like the type of guy who didn't put himself out there enough to get noticed. And it was always sad when those types went on invisible. They had so much potential that went on wasted.

"It's pretty boring actually," He told me.

"It can't be that bad," I rationalized, "At least you get paid."

He laughed, "Yeah, there's that."

"So..." I trailed off.

"Tell me about yourself," Isaac finished.

"Hmmm," I pondered, "You know I'm adopted. I have a brother in college and little sister in middle school. I'm from Portland and we moved here because my dad got a job at the hospital as a surgeon. My mom just got a job at the bakery, I work at the vets office with Scott – that's how we met. Plus a bunch of our parents were friends here in High School."

"You're parents were from here?" He asked me.

"Both sets," I nodded, "Let's see... what else? Oh, I volunteer at the hospital. And I think football is over raided. The lacrosse practice seemed cool – couldn't tell who anyone was though."

He laughed under his breath and I asked, "What?"

"I'm on the lacrosse team," He answered me.

"Really?" I sighed, "I need to pay more attention to my surroundings."

He laughed, "Don't worry. I don't really draw attention to myself."

"Well you've got my attention," I said as a slow song started. I stood up and grabbed his hand, "Come on."

He wrapped his arms around my waist and I wrapped my around his neck and laid my head on his chest. We weren't as pressed together or fast moving – practically grinding. This dance was sweeter and more intimate. He pulled my head up to press his forehead against mine and we smiled at each other.

He murmured, "This is nice."

I nodded, "It feels nice."

"You know..." He started, in a soft voice, "You're the only girl that's given me the time of day."

I smirked, trying to make the situation lighter, "I have good taste."

"I know we just met and all," He trailed off, "But can I kiss you?"

I was about to answer when a panicked Senior charged outside yelling, "Cops are here!"

I cursed and grabbed Isaac's hand, running out to where my car was parked, "How'd you get here?"

"Bike," He answered quickly, "I can get it tomorrow."

I grinned quickly and unlocked my car, "Good. Get in."

[TW]

Isaac showed me how to get to his house. When I pulled up, I didn't want to say goodbye. We spent the whole car ride just talking about everything and nothing.

"So it's just you and your dad?"

He nodded with a careful expression on his face like he didn't want to give away too much, "Yeah – it's just us."

"Will he be mad about your bike?" I asked, concerned.

He tried to smile at me reassuringly but I could tell it was forced, "Nah I'll be okay."

Just then the front door slammed open. A gray haired man with circular glasses stepped out with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked pretty angry. "Are you sure, Isaac?" I asked, a little more concerned now when I saw the man's hands fist.

Isaac turned back to me and just nodded, opening the door. He ducked down to whisper, "Goodnight Jessie."

"I'll see you at school?" I asked, hopefully.

He smiled, "I hope so."

[TW]

When I got home it wasn't too late, just around eleven or so. So I wasn't surprised when I walked in to see my mom and dad and sister all sitting on the couch watching Family Guy and all there to see my loopy smile and ready to interrogate.

"What's with the smile, crocodile?" Mom asked me. She always used cheesy catch phrases like that.

"Yeah," agreed Bethany, "Did you get high?"

Dad gave her a stern look that told her that was an inappropriate question but I only rolled my eyes and shook my head, "No... I met a boy."

By the look on my dad's face, he would rather the answer be getting high than anything to do with boys. He and Baako were always a little too protective of me and Bethany when it came to boys. But at least they trusted us to make our own decisions. Or rather... they trusted me. Beth was a little too obsessed with every boy band for them to really think she could have a clear head when it came to the opposite sex.

But mom loved it. She said that she had shed her single woman days when she married dad so she had to live vicariously through me. So every time I would get a boyfriend or simply meet a boy that made me laugh, she'd have tons of questions to ask that I couldn't even think of if I were an FBI agent.

"A boy?" She asked excitedly.

I smiled softly and looked down at my shoes, "Yes, his name is Isaac. I met him earlier today at the cemetery and he was at the party tonight."

"What was he doing at a cemetery?" Bethany snorted.

"He works there," I answered her, "He helped me find the mausoleum. He's sweet and cute and shy." I felt giddy just thinking about him.

"Does he give you butterflies?" My mom sighed out teasingly.

I roll my eyes, "I'm going to bed now."


	5. Game Night

I got to school the next Monday nearly biting my nails off. I jogged slightly in my black ankle booths, black leggings and white peasant top. I found Stiles and Scott by their lockers just a few down from mine. I walked up to them, "Hey, Scott, are you okay? You freaked out the other night."

Scott sighed, "Yeah I'm fine."

"No – no," Stiles stammered, "No he's not fine. He just tried to kill me and if he plays the game he's gonna kill somebody else on the field!"

"What?" I asked incredulously, "What do you mean he tried to kill you?"

"Like!" Stiles waved his hands into 'claws' and snapped his teeth like 'jaws', "Wolfed out! Growling, teeth, fangs, claws – the whole Bram Stoker deal."

"He wrote about vampires," I stated almost automatically, "But I get your point."

"You can't play that game," Stiles told Scott and I'm sure it wasn't the first time.

"I'm first line!" Scott reiterated.

"I don't know, Scott," I sighed, "You could be really dangerous."

"I need to play," Scott told us desperately, slamming his locker door and walking away.

[TW]

I got to my English class and smiled upon seeing Isaac in the back of the class. I immediately walked over and sat next to him, blushing when I thought I might seem too eager. But when he smiled back shyly I decided that I had to be forward and confident or nothing would happen.

"Hey," He greeted timidly.

I gave him a grateful smile for starting the conversation, "Hi Isaac. How was your weekend?"

"Uneventful," He answered after 'thinking' about it, "But today is looking better."

I blushed at the implication. Things were looking good in this town.

[TW]

I ended up just having Isaac in English but I also had the same lunch with him. We exchanged numbers and had spent the rest of the day and night texting about the most random things. He seemed to have some real potential. So far we both liked the same kind of music – which if you're a teenage girl, you know that that is crucial – and he could make me laugh – which is even more important.

The next day I got a text from Allison inviting me to go out after the game. I wonder how Scott was going to explain throwing the game. Hmmm...

At lunch Allison dragged me over to the table with Lydia. The red head smirked and asked, "Where were you at lunch yesterday?"

I blushed which made Allison gape at me and nudge my side, "You were with someone! Who?"

"Isaac Lahey," I mumbled, "We met the night of the party."

Lydia grimaced at the name so I narrowed my eyes at her, "What is that look for?"

"He's just..." Lydia started.

"He's just what?" I accused, "Not popular enough?"

"I'm sure Lydia didn't mean it like that," Allison tried to appease me. Lydia looked uncomfortable.

"Lahey's a wimp," Jackson scoffed, "You should go for a real man."

"Yeah," agreed a senior next to him, "A macho man."

"Okay, I can roll with that," I started to say, surprising everyone at the table, "When you find a real man, let me know." I stood up with my tray and walked off out of the lunch room, placing my tray on top of trash can and taking my food with me outside.

I wandered until I got to the lacrosse field and decided to sit at the bottom of the bleachers. I was eating my apple and listening to jazz on my iPod when someone yanked one of my ear buds out of my ear. I jolted in my seat and turned to see Isaac shuffling on his feet above me, "Hey."

I squinted up at him, the sun being behind him, "Hi."

"I heard what you said in there," He told me, sitting down next to me, "You guys didn't see me but I was sitting at the table two down. And you weren't quiet."

I sighed, "So that means you heard what Jackson and his douche friend said too."

"Yeah," Isaac stared out at the field.

"I don't care what they say, Isaac," I told his softly, looking at his soft featured face, "I don't care about popularity or toughness. I like you."

His head whipped to look at me in surprise, "You do?"

"Of course I do," I smiled gently.

"Like a friend though... right?" He asked, flustered.

"I didn't think I was really hiding my crush on you," I told him, "I figured you're too shy to make a move or too oblivious to know to make a move."

"I think you just complimented me and insulted me all at the same time," He laughed in shock.

I shrugged, "I'll take that kiss now."

He peered down at me and leaned toward me, "You sure?"

"Stop thinking so much," I whispered, grabbing his shirt collar and pulling his face down so his lips could meet mine. The kiss was sweet and chaste – I mean, come one, we just met a week ago – and when we pulled away we had matching grins on our faces.

[TW]

After school I wanted to tell my mom the news so I drove to the little bakery she was working at. The door dinged as I pushed it open and I could hear clicking of heals before a young woman who looked around 24 appear behind the counter with a smile and an apron, "Hello! What can I do for you?"

"I was looking for my mom... Paula?" I asked a little awkwardly.

I heard my mom's voice, "Honey!" as she appeared behind the counter from the same door the woman did, "Isn't this a surprise?"

"Just came to say hi," I told her coming to lean on the counter and look around the small quaint bakery. It had a couple tables in front of a counter with that window type holding that had a lot of baked goods inside. Behind the counter with plates of cupcakes and an old cash register was a bar type open window where I could see a kitchen inside.

"Oh I'm so rude," Mom realized and pointed at the woman next to her, "This is Marissa. Her mother owns this place."

"Nice to meet you," She told me. She was pretty. She had nice tan skin with almond eyes and stick straight brown hair with highlights. She seemed nice so far.

"Marissa is helping out here before her mother gives her the bakery permanently," Mom said with some hint of pride in her voice like it was her accomplishment. My mother was always good at empathizing.

"Nice," I commented.

Marissa blushed awkwardly, "I'm really just helping out. My sister is the one who really wants the bakery."

"What do you want to do?" I asked curiously.

"Become a doctor," She answered, "I'm in medical school now."

"Sounds cool. Did my mom tell you that my dad is a surgeon at the hospital?"

She nodded, "She did. That's why I'm so nice to her – so I have an in at the hospital."

Mom rolled her eyes and nudged her shoulder, "Hush you."

[TW]

"You got Derek Hale arrested?" I shouted from the back seat of Stiles' jeep.

"We found the other half of the body at his house!" Stiles called back.

"It wasn't Derek!" I yelled, "It couldn't have been."

"How do you know that?" Stiles asked incredulously.

I hesitated, not actually knowing that Derek didn't kill that girl, "I just... have a feeling."

"Well we can't really run a murder investigation based on your feelings," Stiles snapped, putting air quotes on 'feelings'.

"There is no investigation," I growled, "We are not police officers. Let them deal with it."

"I can't find anything about wolfs bane being used in burials," Scott interrupted, looking up stuff on the computer.

"Wolfs bane is poisonous to werewolves," I answered automatically again, "It's a flower also called aconite. They wouldn't bury a wolf with it – it would be offensive."

"How do you know that?" Stiles asked frustrated.

I shrugged, not realizing I knew it until I said it, "I must've heard it somewhere."

"We still have to figure out how I'm going to play this game tonight," Scott sighed deeply, starting to panic.

"Just breathe, Scott, it'll be okay," I told him.

But he started panting, "No, I can't breath! Pull over!"

Stiles asked in a loud voice, desperately trying to keep his eyes on the road, "Why? What's happening?"

Scot opened his backpack and saw a purple flower inside, "You kept it?"

"What the hell Stiles?" I called, "Pull over! Now!"

Stiles quickly pulled over and I jumped out, yanking open Scott's door and grabbing the backpack, throwing it into the trees. When I turned back around, Stiles was standing there alone. "Where'd he go?"

[TW]

Stiles and I figured Scott would just show up at the game so we went. I was standing at the bottom of the bleacher steps when I saw Isaac in his uniform walking shyly up to me. We'd been stuck in limbo since our kiss. You know, that place where you're more than friends but you're not quite boyfriend and girlfriend. We just needed to continue getting to know each other.

But I had gotten used to taking the lead so when he came up I flirted, "You look cute in your uniform."

He smiled embarrassed and mumbled, "Thanks."

I leaned up and kissed his cheek, "Kick ass out there, okay? And don't get hurt too badly. This game is vicious."

"I'll be fine," He reassured me, "You going to cheer me on?"

I nodded immediately, "You betchya. Go team and all that." I waved my hands like imaginary pom poms and grinned.

"You're a cute cheerleader," He told me, "But I gotta go report to coach."

I snuck a peck on his lips and smiled, "Go team," turning to walk up the bleachers. I found Allison and Lydia sitting up next to a man. Maybe he was Allison's dad, they were sitting close enough. I took a seat next to Lydia and Allison grinned teasingly at me, "I saw that."

I guffawed, "I don't know what you're talking about."

The game had started. No one passed to Scott and Stiles was perpetually on the bench. Jackson stole the ball at every turn. When he scored, Lydia stood with a sign saying 'We love you Jackson'. Allison helped her hold it up and I noticed Scott see. Oh no.

"Which one is Scott again?" The man next to Allison asked.

"Number 11," Lydia answered, "The only one who didn't even touch the ball for the entire game."

"No one is passing to him," I murmured.

"I hope he's okay..." Allison mentioned, concerned.

"I'm sure he's fine," I told her.

"Allison!" Lydia demanded, "Help me with this!" Allison stood up even though she really didn't want to to help Lydia hold up her poster. The game restarted and Scott turned into a pro out there. The crowd went wild as he stole the ball and scored in one move.

I could hear Coach screaming, "McCall! Pass to McCall!"

An opposing player took the ball but something in Scott's face spooked him and he practically handed the ball to Scott. He scored again. Coach was going wild and excited and the crowd kept applauding. I even joined in and I never get into sports like that.

Scott ended up in front of the goal alone, pausing. "Come on Scott," I whispered to myself.

"You can do this, Scott..." Allison said to herself.

Scott made the winning goal and the crowd screamed, standing to pile on the field. Scott yanked off his gloves and stormed off the field. Allison walked off after him toward the locker room. I saw Stiles talking to his dad as I searched for Isaac.

I found him standing at the edge of the field taking off his helmet. I ran over to him and threw my arms around his neck. He stumbled a bit, surprised at my sudden show of affection and laughed, winding his arms around my back, "Enjoy the game?"

I nodded into his neck, "Yep."

We pulled away from the hug and he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, "Do you..."

I rose my eyebrows at him expectantly, hoping I knew where this was going, "Yes..?"

"Do you..." Isaac mumbled nervously, shutting his eyes briefly before continuing, "maybe want to go on a date sometime?"

The smile on my face was starting to hurt my face as it grew in impossible giddiness at his question, "Of course."

"Great," Isaac breathed out in shock, "Wow – umm, well I should go home. Can I call you?"

"You better call me," I told him 'sternly' to which he laughed and walked off. I was still smiling a goofy smile when Stiles dragged Scott over, "We have a problem!"

"Another one?" I asked, my smile slipping from my face.

"The medical examiner looked at the half of the body we found," Stiles started.

"What did they find?"

"He determined that the killer was animal, not human," Stiles told me, spelling it out, "Derek human, not animal, Derek not the killer... Derek let out of jail."

"Derek's not the killer," I stated as it I were saying it was ninth time.

"It get's worse," Stiles ignored me, "My dad identified the dead girl... both halves.. Her name was Laura Hale."

"Derek's sister?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It would be great if you would review...


	6. Hanging Out

Isaac told me that he had to work the whole weekend so we had to post pone our date. I couldn't say I wasn't disappointed but I understood. I was working Saturday afternoon in the vets office anyway. Scott walked to the front with Deaton. Our boss asked me, "Did Mrs. Johnson call in yet?"

I shook my head, "No, but Mr. Doyle called about his cat who has been coughing up an abnormal amount of hairballs."

"Hmmm," Deaton contemplated, "I guess I'll call him in to check out what could be done about that. Could you tell me how many staples are left in the stapler?"

"Thirteen," I answered automatically without even registering the question. I looked up at Deaton in shock, "How'd you know?"

"Know what?" Scott asked, totally lost.

Deaton smiled knowingly, "I've noticed you counting your steps when you walk in. Very well hidden but I've seen it before."

"Counting?" Scott asked, getting more lost.

I leaned back in my computer chair, "I count – it's called arithmomania. It's like OCD."

"So you just count random stuff?" Scott asked.

I nodded, "I tend to count objects when I'm bored compulsively. But other than that I count stuff like doors I pass in the hallway or steps I take."

"You're a little crazy aren't you?" Scott laughed.

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever."

[TW]

"So you killed her?" Stiles asked Scott as we walked into school.

"I don't know," Scott threw his hands up in frustration, "I just woke up! I was in sweat and I couldn't breath... I never had a dream where I woke up like that before..."

"Really?" Stiles asked, "I have. Usually it ends a little differently."

"Eww!" I squealed, "I don't want to hear that."

"Personally I think you're handling this pretty well," Stiles commented, "You know, it's not like, like there are some lycanthropes beginners classes you can take..."

"Not a class," Scott murmured, "But maybe a teacher."

"Derek can help you," I said.

Stiles gave us a look that said we were crazy, "Did you forget the part where we put him in jail? Something tells me he won't be so inclined to help."

"I have a feeling he will," I said with certainty.

"You don't understand," Scott sighed, "It all felt too real."

"How real?" Stiles asked.

"Like it actually happened..." Scott looked genuinely scared that he may have hurt Allison.

"We don't know anything for sure," I stated.

We then noticed police in the side parking lot beside a bus with a few broken windows and blood smeared inside it. Scratch marks ran up the side.

"She's probably fine," Stiles tried.

But Scott shook his head, staring at his phone, "She doesn't answer my texts!"

"Maybe her phone is off," I suggested.

"Just help me find her!" Scott growled frustrated as he hit his locker. He snapped out of it though and calmed himself down. We continued walking down the hall and Scott bumped into, wouldn't you know it, Allison.

Allison smiled, "Oh, you scared the hell out of me!"

Scott smiled back at her in relief, "You're okay?"

"When my heart starts beating again, yeah," She gave him a wary look when he kept staring at her, "What?"

"I'm just happy to see you," He breathed out.

The speakers in the school crackled as the principal's voice sounded throughout the halls, announcing, "Students, this is your principal. I know you're all wondering about the accident of last night in one of our buses. While the police try to determine what happened, classes will proceed as usual. Thank you."

Allison shook her head, "I'll see you at lunch."

"Yeah..."

[TW]

At lunch I found Isaac waiting outside the cafeteria door and he smiled when he saw me, "Hey Jessie... and her friend."

Allison smirked between the two of us, "I'm Allison." They shook hands. "I'll let you two love birds talk. I'll see you in the lunch line." She walked off.

I blushed after her 'love birds' comment but smiled up at Isaac anyway, "Were you waiting for me?"

He looked hesitant to answer, "Is that weird?"

I shook my head and laughed, "No I like it."

I took his hand and dragged him toward the line, "Do you buy lunch?"

He shook his head, "I bring it. Do you want to go sit out by the bleachers?"

"Actually..." I grabbed an apple and moved onto the cheese sandwiches, "Would you sit with me and my friends? So you can meet them?"

"You're okay with me meeting your friends?" Isaac asked in shock.

"About that..." I trailed off. He looked afraid of what I was going to say. Like I was about to laugh in his face and tell him it was all just a joke. But instead I asked quickly, like ripping off a band aid, "Do you want to meet them as my boy-more-than-friend?"

The breath whooshed out of his mouth as his eyes widened and he gaped at me, "You're serious?"

I tilted my head at him in amusement, "I don't usually kid about that kind of stuff." I grabbed some chips and went to pay for my food. I stood by with my tray and looked up at him nervously, "Well?"

Instead of putting my mind at ease by saying yes... he put my mind at ease by planting his lips on mine. I smiled into the kiss and pulled away before the cafeteria lady yelled at us. I smiled like a fool, "I'll take that as a yes. Let's go."

We intertwined our fingers and walked until we found Lydia, Jackson, and Allison sitting with Stiles and Scott and Danny. I took a seat next to Lydia and looked at Stiles and Scott first, "Guys this is Isaac. This is Stiles and Scott and you know Allison. This is Lydia and Jackson."

They all mumbled hellos except for Stiles who said, "Welcome the guy who can handle Jessie's crazy rambling." Isaac smirked and laughed with Scott as I reached to smack Stiles on the head with a scowl.

"So I heard it was some kind of animal attack.. probably a cougar," Danny said, referring the to man they found mauled in the bus.

"I heard it was a mountain lion," Jackson rebutted.

"A cougar is a mountain lion," I answered automatically in unison with none other than Lydia Martin sitting next to me. Everyone looked at her in shock. She was supposed to be an air head and I had already mentioned my eidetic memory. "Isn't it?" She tried to save.

"Who cares?" Jackson answered rudely from the head of the table, "It was probably a homeless guy who was gonna die anyway."

"Actually," Stiles interrupted, "I just found out who it is, look." He held out his phone where a news clip was playing.

"The sheriff department won't speculate on the details of the incident, but confirmed that the victim, Garrison Meyers, did survive the attack," The journalist reported, "Meyers was taken to a local hospital where he remains in a critical condition."

"Wait," Scott said, thinking hard, "I know this guy!"

"You do?" Allison asked confused.

"Yeah, I used to take his bus when I went to see my dad," Scott answered, remembering now.

"Can we talk about something more fun, please?" Lydia suggested, "Like... Oh, where are we going tomorrow night?" Allison looked at her uncomfortably like she didn't like where this was going, "You said you and Scott were hanging out tomorrow night, right?"

"Oh, umm..." Allison started awkwardly. It was obvious that she and Scott were planning a date alone, "We haven't decided what we were gonna do..." She and Scott exchanged a look.

Lydia didn't seem to pick up on it, "Well, I'm not a big fan of watching lacrosse videos but if the four of us are going out... we're doing something fun."

Ouch. The phrase; hanging out. That's a bummer for Scott.

"Hanging out?" He asked Allison, "Like... the four of us? Do you... want to go out with them?"

Allison seemed uncomfortable in the spot light, "Yeah, I guess. It sounds.. fun." Then she perked up with a thought, "Jessie! Why don't you and Isaac come too? It'll be like a... triple date."

I stared at her like a deer caught in the head lights and Isaac's face grew red with embarrassment. I gulped, "Sure – what will we do?"

"What about bowling?" Lydia suggested, surveying her boyfriend, "You love to bowl!"

Jackson scoffed, "Yeah, with actual competition."

"How do you know we're not actual competition?" Allison challenged, before asking Scott, "You can bowl, right?"

"Sort of..." Scott shrugged sheepishly.

"Is it sort of, or yes?" Jackson smirked at his squeamish behavior.

"Yes!" Scott got ahead of himself, "In fact, I'm a great bowler!"

[TW]

"Scott, when we met you told me you're a terrible bowler!" I lightly smacked his shoulder as we walked to our next class.

"I know," Scott moaned, "I'm such an idiot!"

"It was like I was watching a car wreck," Stiles said, trying not to laugh, "First it turns to a four people date-"

"Then triple date!" I interjected.

"And after that comes that phrase from nowhere!" Stiles flailed his arms hyper-actively.

"Hanging out..." Scott sighed.

"You don't hang out with hot girls, okay?" Stiles raised his voice.

I crossed my arms across my chest, "Excuse me?"

Stiles gaped and then sighed, stammering, "You don't count. You have a boyfriend!"

"I didn't always," I told him.

"Not the point – moving on," Stiles and then paused, "I don't think Danny likes me very much."

"When did that come into conversation?" I asked.

"I asked Allison on a date and now we're hanging out," Scott stated like it was the end of the world.

"Am I attractive to gay guys?" Stiles asked.

"I made it to first line and the captain of the team wants to destroy me and now..." Scott ignored, "Now I'm going to be late for work!"

I rolled my eyes and grabbed Scott's arm, "Come on, we're working the same shift today, I'll give you a ride."

"Wait!" Stiles called after us, "Am I attractive to gay guys?"

[TW]

"Calm down," I told Scott. He was breathing pretty heavily. "We're not late!"

We got out of the car and Scott rushed in. Deaton smiled at me and asked, "Where's the fire?"

I rolled my eyes, "He worried we were late."

Deaton laughed to himself as the sheriff walked into the office. Scott's eyes widened but we saw a dog in the sheriff's hands. "Hello. I see somebody's ready to get his stitches out."

Sheriff Stilinski nodded and surveyed Scott, "Hey, Scott, you're staying out of trouble right?"

"Of course," Scott squeaked.

[TW]

"So he went to talk to Derek and he said to go back to the bus?" I asked, pacing my carpeted floor on the phone with Stiles.

"Yeah," His voice sounded through my phone, "He has to go back in order to remember what happened. Hopefully the hunters won't kill him though."

"Wait, what? Hunters?" My voice rose in pitch.

"Yeeeah, about that," Stiles trailed off, obviously ashamed to have hidden or forgotten to tell me whatever it was, "The Argents are werewolf hunters."

"What?" I shouted, "You're just now telling me that our friend Allison comes from a family of werewolf hunters!?"

"Sorry!" Stiles gasped out, "It wasn't the most pressing issue over Scott's struggle to control his wolfy self. And besides we're not even sure Allison knows that her family is full of hunters."

I sighed, "Fine. Go help Scott and call me later. I have to go get ready at Lydia's."

[TW]

Allison looked through her closet for something to wear. She grabbed a shirt to show it to us. Lydia hummed, "Pass."

"Pass."

"Pass."

"Pass, pass, pass... Oh Allison, my respect for your taste dwindles every second," she reached in and grabbed a cute top, "This!"

Just then Allison's dad walked into the room. Allison's eyes widened imperceptibly, "Dad. Hi."

"Right, I'm sorry, I completely forgot to knock," Chris rose his hands in surrender.

"Hey mister Argent," Lydia greeted. I kept my mouth shut, uncomfortable with him in the room now that I knew what he was.

"Dad, did you need something?" Allison asked, trying to get him out of the room.

"I wanted to tell you that you were staying here tonight," He said regretfully.

Allison gaped, "What? I'm going out with my friends tonight."

He shook his head, "No, some animal out there is attacking people."

"Mr. Argent we'll be in cars and in groups," I voiced, "The attacks are miles off of the bowling alley. Otherwise I'm sure my dad wouldn't let my mom go into work at the bakery next door anymore."

He shook his head, "Sorry but there's a curfew now. No more arguing."

Allison sighed and looked at me with a weak smile, "Thanks for trying."

I shrugged, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Daddy's little girl..." Lydia cooed teasingly.

"Sometimes," Allison admitted, "But not tonight." She walked over and opened the window and climbing onto the roof.

"What are you doing?" Lydia stood up and looked at her like she was crazy. Allison jumped down the wall and I followed, "Coming Lydia?"

"I'll take the stairs..."

[TW]

"So can you bowl?" Isaac asked me, tying his laces. I nodded, "Totally."

"Good," He breathed, "'Cause I suck."

I laughed, "I'm sure you'll do fine," I kissed his cheek.

He briefly pressed his forehead to mine before tying off his shoes and going to choose a ball. While he was gone Allison came to sit next to me and squealed, "You two are so cute."

I blushed, "You and Scott too. He's like a little puppy dog when it comes to you."

Allison grinned, "I really like him."

I nodded, "I can tell."

"So are you and Isaac official yet?" She asked in almost a whiny voice like she was impatient for us to get together.

I nodded again, "Close. I asked him if he wanted to be more than friends. We're working up to it."

"Wow," Allison smirked, "You go girl."

I laughed and shoved her shoulder lightly as Isaac came sit down again. He shyly intertwined our fingers as the game began.

[TW]

THIRD PERSON POV

Derek Hale parked his car at the gas station and slipped out, pulling out the nosel to deposit into his car. A large SUV pulled up next to his, another parking behind as Allison's father, Chris Argent got out to survey Derek.

"Nice ride!" Chris smiled 'innocently', "Black car though... very hard to keep clean. I would suggest a little more maintenance." He cast a glance around, noticing a woman filling her car up on the other side of Derek. He gave his boys a look that clearly meant don't do anything in front of witnesses. He looked back to Derek who was standing stoic and angry, "When you have something that nice, you wanna take care of it, right? Personally, I'm very protective of the things I love. That's something I learned from my family. You don't have much of that, these days... Do you?"

Derek clenched his fists at his sides but managed to stay calm. Hell, if he could force himself not to change on a full moon then he could certainly keep his cool at the teasing remarks from a puny Argent.

Chris and his men got in their cars and drove off, their tires squealing on the pavement as they disappeared down the road.

"Are you alright?"

Derek twisted around to see the woman Chris noticed, standing a little closer between her car and him but with her keys ready in hand. He nodded simply, "Just fine."

[TW]

"Can we go on a real date next time?" Isaac asked me, holding hands and heading to my car in the parking lot.

I laughed at his antics and nodded, "Of course. We were really just a buffer here anyway."

"Scott was awesome," He commented, opening the drivers door for me.

"He was..." I confirmed quietly as I sat. It was obvious that his werewolf side helped out and it obviously pissed Jackson off.

"You okay?"

I jolted out of my thoughts and realized that we were sitting in my car for at least five minutes. I laughed at myself, "Sorry – just thinking."

"Penny for your thoughts?" He asked as I started to back out of the parking lot.

I sighed, "It's just all this stuff about the animal attacks and my parents..."

"The Sanges?" Isaac inquired.

I nodded, "I just know nothing about them or my family. Just what they left me with. And there's so much I don't know that I want to."

"You'll figure it out," He told me softly, "You're a smart girl."

I smiled and looked at him sideways, "Thanks."

I pulled up to his house and all the lights were off, "You gonna be okay?"

He unconvincingly nodded and furrowed his brow at me, "Yeah, why do you ask?"

I shook my head, "No reason. I'll see you at school?"

"Hopefully before that," He leaned down to kiss me before shutting the car door and walking silently into the house.


	7. Too Close a Scare

"What can I get for you?" The pizza boy asked at the front counter of Beacon Hills Pizzeria.

Isaac was holding my hand. He tilted his head down to look at me, "What do you want, Jessie?"

"Hmmm," I pondered, looking up at the wall of choices, "How about half pineapple, half pepperoni?" I asked, knowing Isaac loved pepperoni more than anything.

He kissed my forehead and repeated the order to the pizza guy. But I interrupted, "But please no onions or garlic!"

The guy nodded and gave us our total that Isaac paid before I could. I narrowed my eyes at him but he just laughed and led us over to a booth, "So why no onions or garlic?"

"One," I held up a finger as I took my seat, "They make your breath smell," he chuckled at that as I held up another finger, "Two – I'm allergic to garlic."

He gave me a brief weird look, "Really? Anything else you're allergic to?"

I nodded, "Cats, bees and shellfish."

"Good to know," he murmured, taking my hand in his across the table.

"What about you?" I asked him to make idle conversation while we waited for our food.

"Allergies?" He confirmed, "Let's see... nope – nothing."

I nodded, "Cool," as the pizza guy brought us our pizza. We started eating out of our paper plates when I noticed some paper sticking out from the bottom of the pizza tray. I put down my slice and reached to pull it out. It was folded into fourths so I started to unfold it when Isaac asked, "What is that?"

I shrugged and shook my head, still looking at the paper, "It was under the tray." I unfolded and smoothed it out on the table.

Ren Cobalt Torvus (Deceased)

Wanda Amalie Torvus

"It's just two names and one is marked deceased," I told him, showing him the note, "That's weird. That last name though..."

"Ren Torvus is the body in the other mausoleum," Isaac remembered out loud, "The one next to your biological parents."

"Torvus was my biological mother's maiden name," I revealed, "What if this guy Ren was related to me? And what if this Wanda person is to? I mean – she's not marked dead."

"Why would a pizza guy give you this?" He asked.

I stood up, snatching the note, and walking to the front counter. There was a pizza girl there instead so I asked her, "S'cuse me. But where's the other guy?"

"Excuse me?" She asked politely.

"The other guy working tonight," I told her, "The one who took our order and brought out our pizza."

She shook her head, a confused expression donning her face, "Sorry – but it's only me and another girl here tonight."

"Are you being serious right now?" I asked her incredulously.

She shrugged helplessly, "I'm sorry – would you like a refund? I don't know what guy brought you your food."

I shook my head, preoccupied with this enigma, "No, our food's fine. Sorry to bother you."

"Sorry I couldn't help..."

I walked back to the table and sat next to Isaac on his side of the booth, "He's not here. She said that no guy is even working the register tonight."

"What?" He gasped, looking around like some kidnapper was about to pounce on me. He put his arm around me, "Maybe we should get out of here..."

I shook my head, "No, it's okay. But you know what I just realized?"

"What?"

"Maybe it wasn't a car accident," I said out loud, "I don't know anything about what happened. Or where my family went or who gave me to my adoptive parents. It's all a big black hole."

"Maybe you could look them up," Isaac suggested, "Beacon Hills has extensive records. We could go check them out."

"Would you come with me?" I asked him hopefully.

He nodded immediately, "Of course I will."

I kissed his lips, "Thank you."

[TW]

I had work the next day so we couldn't go then. It was just starting to get dark when I heard the door burst open and looked to see Stiles supporting a very pale Derek limping into the office.

"Open the gate," Derek growled.

I scrambled out of my desk chair and opened the gate as Stiles asked, "Is Deaton here?"

"No he went out," I told him, following the pair to the back, "What the hell happened?"

"I got shot," Derek gasped out in a raspy forced tone as Stiles set him against the table.

"With a wolfs bane bullet?" I asked, getting out some pliers.

"How'd you get there so fast?" Stiles asked in shock, "My first guess was silver bullet."

"The silver thing is just a myth," I answered automatically as I surveyed Derek's arm. The wound was bleeding dark blood and the veins around it were starting to bulge and grow black. Derek breathed heavily as I dug the bullet out.

"How do you know that?" Stiles sounded exasperated, "Wait – let me guess, another one of your 'feelings'."

"Have I been wrong yet?" I asked rhetorically as I wiped Derek's arm of excess blood, "We can't let this black vein stuff reach your heart. Where's Scott?"

"He's getting the bullet from the Argents," Derek rasped, finding it hard to breathe, "I need the bullet or I'll die."

He stumbled away from the table and rummaged around in the drawers, "Last resort..." he pulled out a power saw, "You're gonna cut off my arm."

"Not it!" I shouted, pointing at Stiles.

"What!?" Stiles' voice cracked hilariously.

I grabbed the tie and wrapped it around Derek's bicep, tying it off, "Stiles if you cut the arm off then the infection is gone and his body will heal. Otherwise he'll die."

"I can't do this!" Stiles squealed.

I rolled my eyes and positioned Derek to lay his arm out on the table. Derek started shaking and suddenly he started vomiting black goo onto the floor. Stiles gagged, "What the hell is that?"

"It's..." Derek panted, "my body... trying to heal itself..."

"Well its not doing a very good job!" Stiles pointed out.

"Now Stiles!" I shouted at him, "You've got to do it now!"

Stiles winced as he picked up the tool, mumbling to himself in fear. He had just pressed the blade to Derek's skin below the tie when Scott busted in the room, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Oh," Stiles breathed out in relief, throwing the saw on the table, "You just prevented a life time of nightmares."

"Did you get the bullet?" Derek gasped.

Scott nodded and held out a skinny pointed bullet and handed it to Derek. "What are you going to do with it?" Stiles asked.

"I'm gonna..." Derek trailed off, falling to the ground, passed out, dropping the bullet. It rolled away and fell into the drain.

Scott cursed and started trying to retrieve it. I bent over Derek's passed out body and started slapping his face, "Wake up, wake up."

Scott called out, "I got it!" a minute later and he handed me the bullet, "Do you know what to do?"

I stood up and held the bullet out to him, "I hope so. Bite it open!"

"What?" He asked.

"Just do it!" I shouted at him. He hastily bit the bullet open and handed it back to me. I poured the contents out and looked around, "Do you guys have a lighter?"

"He does!" Stiles called, pulling a lighter out of Derek's pocket.

I grabbed the lighter and lit the patch of herb and it sparked violently, blue smoke rising from it like a cigarette. I brushed it into my palm and moved to straddle Derek's stomach, "If memory serves correctly, this is gonna hurt. You guys gotta hold him down." Scott crouched behind Derek and held down his shoulders as I pushed the substance into the bullet wound. Derek suddenly shot awake, screaming out until it turned into a growl. I tried desperately to hold him down with Scott's help while I made sure everything got into the would. Derek kept howling in pain while the black veins receded, returning to their normal color.

Derek started to sit up so I got off of him and helped him stand. "Are you okay, Derek?"

He was still panting a little bit but he seemed fine. He looked between me and his now-healed arm with confusion, "How'd you know what to do?"

I wanted to come up with a plausible answer but I had none. I just acted on instinct. So I shrugged and told him the truth, "I have no idea..."

"How do you know so much about werewolves, anyway?" Stiles asked, "And don't say anything about 'feelings' okay?"

I threw my hands up, "I don't know what to tell you. I have an eidetic memory but I don't always know where it comes from. I must have heard it somewhere or read it somewhere and it just came to me."

"Whatever it was," Derek grunted, "I'm not gonna question it if it saves my life." He looked down at me in the eyes, "Thank you."

"Okay, we saved your life," Scott interrupted, "which means you're gonna leave us alone, you got that? And if you don't, I'm gonna go back to Allison's dad, and I'm gonna tell him everything-"

"You're trusting hunters?" I asked incredulously, "Scott, they're-"

"Why not?" Scott shouted, "They're a lot freaking nicer than he is," he jabbed his finger at Derek.

Derek glared back at him, "I can show you exactly how nice they are."

[TW]

The next night I was headed to the movie rental place to grab a bunch of DVDs for Family Movie Night. I had just walked in and headed to the back for the horror section when I heard someone say, "Can somebody help me find The Notebook? Hello?"

I ducked my head into the gap between the aisles, "Hey Jackson."

He whipped around to see me and smiled – a somewhat genuine smile – "Hey Jessie."

I started walking over to him, "Date night?" He smirked and nodded, walking toward me to meet in the middle. But I noticed a foot sticking out of the comedy isle and peered around to see the video store clerk laid out on the floor with his throat slashed. My mouth fell open into a scream as I started to back away. Jackson ran over and gasped in fear at the body, throwing his arms around my back to catch me from backing into one of the movie stacks.

But we knocked over a ladder and next thing I know the lights went out. We heard growling and both whipped around to see large glowing red eyes. Jackson grabbed me and ducked behind one of the movies stacks. He was breathing deeply, trying to be quiet, looking at me and whispering, "Are you okay?"

I nodded as he peeked out. I heard growling and some DVDs fell around us as Jackson lurched back behind the podium. We heard banging and Jackson looked out before gasping, twisting around to grab my waist and throw me onto the floor in front of him. I grunted upon the impact and looked up to notice that the beast had knocked over the display cases, causing a domino effect. And Jackson's legs were trapped.

I crawled forward and started pulling on him when the large wolf man with glowing red eyes appeared behind him. "Leave us alone!" I commanded in a shaky voice. It huffed and I could feel Jackson shaking in front of me. I felt him tug at my sleeve and say, "Just leave."

"Are you crazy?" I whispered at him loudly.

The Alpha started poking at Jackson's collar and seemed satisfied before looking at me, barring its teeth terrifyingly. I could feel a couple tears fall down my cheeks. But the Alpha just stared at me. "What do you want?"

It tilted it's head before growling and leaping away, smashing a window as it fled.

[TW]

"Why can't I just go home?" Jackson asked the sheriff, standing next to me as I sat in the back of an ambulance. Lydia stood away from us fiddling with her phone, hands shaky.

"I hear ya," Sheriff Stilinski tried to placate Jackson, "but the EMT says you hit your head pretty hard. They just wanna make sure you don't have a concussion." He looked at me, "Are you okay, Jessie? You didn't hit your head?"

I shook my head, "No, just some bruises from hitting the ground."

Jackson breathed out through his nose harshly and I could see he felt guilty, "I'm sorry about that."

I pulled his face to look at me, "Don't be sorry, Jackson, you saved my life."

He seemed to relax a little at that.

"Oh, whoa, is that a dead body?" Stiles asked loudly as the EMTs wheeled out the video store clerk, covered in a tarp.

The Sheriff told everyone to back and got mine and Jackson's statements. Jackson turned to me when we were done, "Let me walk you to your car."

I nodded and took the blanket they gave me off of my shoulders, letting Jackson cast an arm around me to help me over to my car just a few spaces away from his. "Thanks."

"No problem," He answered shortly, opening my door after I unlocked the car.

"And thank you for what you did in there," I told him, "I would have been crushed if you hadn't pulled me out of the way."

He nodded, "Couldn't let such a beautiful girl like you die, now could I?"

I snorted softly, "No I guess not. I'll see you at school?"

"Yeah – see you," He said softly, quickly leaning down to kiss my cheek before striding off to his car.

[TW]

When I got home the lights were still on. I begged the EMTs and police not to call my parents. But when I got into the house I felt arms wrap around my body and the breath whoosh out of my lungs in surprise. The person pulled back and I noticed who it was, "Isaac? What are you doing here?"

"I was watching the news and saw someone got killed at the video store and I knew you were going there and I had to see that you were okay so I came here!" He rushed out in one breath.

I smiled at his worried expression, "That's so sweet. But I'm fine. The guy was already dead when I got there and Jackson helped us get away."

"Jackson was there?" My mom asked coming into the front room and hugging me, "Oh sweetie thank god you're okay." My dad came to hug me next.

"Yeah Jackson was picking out a movie for him and Lydia. She waited out in the car. We found the body and some—one attacked and then we got out of there and called the police."

"Did you see who?" My dad asked in a business like tone.

I hesitated before shaking my head, "No – we didn't get a clean look. Just got out of there."

"Well that's alright," Mom assured me, "But I think it's safe to say movie night will be postponed."

"Yeah..." I said sheepishly, "I forgot the movies..."

"Honey we don't care about some stupid DVDs as long as you're safe," My mom reassured me, wrapping her arms around me again. I nodded into her neck thankfully.

She held me at arms length, "Why doesn't Isaac help you to your room and I'll make some hot chocolate? You can show your boyfriend your room."

Dad looked like he wanted to protest and Isaac looked completely uncomfortable but mom simply pushed us toward the stairs. Isaac succumbed to the pressure and wrapped an arm around me, walking me upstairs. I led him to my room and walked in, closing the door after us.

Isaac looked around the room in awe at the walls. I had decided to paint a grassy field and twisted gray tree with no leaves around on the four walls. "You painted this?"

I shrugged sheepishly, "Yeah..."

"It's amazing," Isaac breathed, looking at me with a concerned smile, "Are you really okay?"

I sniffed, holding back tears as I gingerly sat on my bed. I looked up at him and slowly shook my head, "It was so scary, Isaac."

He immediately sat next to me and gathered me into his arms, leaning back against the headboard, "Shh... it's okay, you're okay now." I start crying quietly into his sweater.

"I thought..." I sobbed, "I thought it was gonna kill us. But it just attacked and ran away. I don't know what would have happened if Jackson hadn't been there."

Isaac's arms tightened around me, "And you'll never have to know. You're safe now. I won't let anything hurt you."

I thought about what he said at the end there. He promised to protect me. But I couldn't involve him in this. He didn't know about werewolves and Alphas and hunters. And if he ever did, he'd be in danger just because he did know. He was just human – and yes, so am I – he was no match for a giant werewolf. I needed to be the one to protect him and keep him out of this. No matter what.

I eventually grew tired and cried myself to sleep on my boyfriend's shoulder.


	8. Volts

"Just a friendly reminder – Parent/Teacher conferences are tonight. Students below a "C" average are required to attend. I won't name you, because the shame and self-disgust should be more than enough punishment," Mr. Harris told us, walking from the back of the classroom, "Has anyone seen Scott McCall?"

Stiles distractedly glanced up from his excessive highlighting before going back to whatever he thought he was doing. I sat in front of his table next to Danny.

Mr. Harris leaned around Danny to look at me with a worries expression, "Jessie – if you need to leave early or step out for any reason, let me know, okay?"

I nodded shakily, "Thank you, Mr. Harris."

Just then Jackson stumbled in, frustrated, and took his own seat. I saw Mr. Harris go and talk to him too.

"Are you really okay?" Danny asked me in concern.

I shrugged, "Just a little shaken. I'd be a lot worse off if Jackson hadn't been there."

"Really?" Danny asked dubiously, "What did he do?"

I narrowed my eyes slightly, "Jackson didn't tell you about what happened last night?"

Danny shook his head, obviously put off by this news that his best friend wouldn't talk to him.

So I tried to put his mind at ease, "We were both there getting some movies and then we found the... store clerk..." I paused, remembering the sight of his slashed throat and blood splattered on his face and the floor. I shook my head to clear it, "And something made a noise so we hid but whoever it was knocked over the display cases and Jackson got trapped under them because he pulled me out of the way. Then we called the police."

"What about Lydia?" Stiles hissed from behind us.

Danny and I both turned to look at him, annoyed, "She was outside. I don't know what she saw but she seemed scared too. She must have seen them escape out the window."

* * *

I went to the locker room later to check on Jackson. He didn't look so good in chemistry. "Jackson?"

"What was it, hmm?" I heard Derek's menacing voice, "An animal? A mountain lion?"

"I didn't see anything," Jackson's scared and wavering voice answered back, "I swear. I'm—I'm not lying."

"Then calm down and say it again."

I walked in and found Derek cornering Jackson against some lockers, "Derek!"

His head snapped over to look at me, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to Jackson," I told him, "And I can tell you what happened last night. Jackson didn't see anything because he got pinned saving me. Leave him alone."

Derek stared me down before huffing and nodding, but not before grabbing Jackson's neck and I saw healing claw marks on the back of his neck, "You should really get that checked out." He stalked off.

I walked up to Jackson and put a hand on his shoulder, "He didn't hurt you did he?"

"You know that guy?" Jackson asked in disbelief and a little accusation.

I shrugged, "I read to his Uncle in the home and we've met there and I've seen him around. Can I see your neck?"

"One of those girls?" He asked teasingly.

I playfully glared and stood myself on a locker room bench, looking at the claw marks there, lightly fingering them, "Did the... thing do this last night?"

"No..." Jackson's voice trailed off, "No, I already had them."

"The thing that attacked us," I started, "It was looking at your neck – at – at these. Who gave you these?"

"No one," Jackson answered gruffly, yanking away from my touch and putting his hands on my waist, lifting me off the bench and putting me on the ground, "Don't get into whatever this is, Jessie. I don't want you to get hurt."

I looked up at him and saw that his concern for my safety was genuine – obviously since he was so worried about my safety rather than his own last night when he was being attacked by the Alpha. But he didn't know what he was up against – I did. "I don't want you to get hurt either, Jackson."

* * *

I found Stiles talking frantically into his phone, "Do you have any idea what's going on?"

I yanked the phone out of his hand, "Hey Scott, disregard Stiles for now. I'll fill him in on what happened last night."

" _Okay but you might have to explain to you-know-who too,_ " He insisted reluctantly.

I nodded before catching myself, "I'll go talk to him after school. Bye."

"So what happened?" Stiles nearly shouted as we walked down the hall.

"It was the Alpha," I revealed quietly, "It tried to kill us but then it had Jackson trapped and us right in front of him for the taking and it didn't do anything."

"That's so freaky," Stiles sighed.

"That's not even the freakiest part," I told him, now starting to worry myself.

Stiles gave me a look like he wasn't sure he wanted to know, but he asked anyway, "What is it?"

I sighed, thinking of a way to say it, "When it was in front of us... I saw it's eyes and... I don't know. It seemed... familiar? Like I knew it – like it was a friend or something."

"So you know who it is?" He asked hopefully.

I shook my head, "I just recognized them but I can't put the pieces together."

* * *

After school Stiles went to see what Lydia saw and I went to tell Derek. When I got to the Hale house I found Derek doing pull ups, shirtless. Now I am one hundred percent committed to Isaac, but Derek Hale was hot without a shirt on and the tattoo just helped.

"Derek," I greeted, grabbing his attention.

He dropped to the floor and faced me stoically, "You again."

"Yes, me again," I rolled my eyes, "It was the Alpha last night. Jackson didn't get a clear look at it. But it seemed really familiar to me."

"You know who it is?" Derek asked immediately, shock and hope in his voice.

I shook my head, "No he just seemed familiar, like we knew each other. But I just can't... think of who it could be. But it has to be someone I know – I can feel it."

"Well..." Derek trailed off, "That definitely narrows it down," He allowed, "You just moved here and don't know a lot of people, right?"

I nodded, "Yeah – I could make a list."

"Do that and-" Derek cut off short, looking toward the front of the house. He grabbed my arm, "Hide now."

I didn't question him and ran up the stairs, hiding behind a bedroom door, crouched on the floor and carefully kept my breathing under control.

I heard the front door get kicked in and some people walk in. A man's voice announced, "No one's home."

A woman's voice tsked, "Oh, he's here. He's just not feeling particularly hospitable."

A different male voice attempted a joke, "Maybe he's out – burying a bone in the backyard."

There were no laughs as the woman asked dubiously, "Really? A dog joke? We're going there, and that's the best you got?" She trailed off and I heard footsteps, "If you wanna provoke him, say something like, too bad your sister 'bit it' before she had her first litter." I hoped Derek didn't take the bait. But that hope went out the window when she said, "Too bad she howled like a bitch – when we CUT HER IN HALF!"

I heard Derek roar and hit something, and peeked out down the stairs to see a man hit the floor unconscious. Derek growled loudly again. I heard crackling of something and then I heard a thud. The woman's voice teased, "Wow, this one grew up in all the right places. I don't know whether to kill it or – lick it."

It took all my self control not to come out and beat the shit out of her. But instead I got out my phone and turned on the recorder. I pulled my hair into a low pony tail and pulled the hood of my sweatshirt up as I inched out to the banister of the second floor. I could hear Derek grunt in pain in the room below me.

I squeezed my eyes shut as I heard Derek try to crawl away, but the woman just shocked him again. My suspicion was confirmed when I heard her say, "900,000 volts. You never were good with electricity, were you? Or fire," While Derek laid on the floor I was in his view. He shook his head, knowing I wanted to do something but telling me to stay put. The woman didn't notice, "Which is why I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. And, well, maybe we can help each other out. Yes, your sister was severed into pieces and used as bait to try to catch you. Unpleasant, and frankly, a little too Texas chainsaw massacre for my taste, but quite true. Now, here's the part that might really kick you in the balls – we didn't kill her." She paused, "You think I'm lying?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," Derek gasped angrily.

"Tsk, sweetie – well – why don't you just listen to my heart and tell me if I am. Okay? We – didn't – kill – your – sister," she paused again, "Do you hear that? There's no blips or upticks. Just the steady beat of the cold, hard truth. Found bite marks on your sister's body, Derek. What do you think did that? A mountain lion?" She laughed sardonically, "You might as well admit what you've been guessing all along, which is that the Alpha killed your sister. And all you have to do is tell us who he is, and we'll take care of it for you. Problem solved, everybody goes home happy." She was waiting for some kind of response. But from what I could see of Derek, he wasn't budging.

"Unless... you don't know who he is either," she tsked again, "Wow. Guess who just became totally useless?"

I heard gun fire and gasped quietly shooting into standing position just as Derek arrived in front of me and picked me up, swinging me onto his back and jumping out a back window from the second floor, breaking into a sprint. I held on tightly until he stopped in the middle of the woods. He set me down gently and brushed my hair away from my face, "Are you alright?"

I held up my phone, "I recorded it. I know they have a code or something. Every hunting family does. She's not following it."

"How do you know all this?" Derek asked, impressed.

"Like I've said, I don't know how I know this stuff – I just do," I said helplessly, "There's a lot that I don't know about myself or my real family."

"Well," Derek said, "You help me – I'll help you."

I smiled at him thankfully.

* * *

I didn't have to go to the parent teacher conference night but my parents wanted to go and talk to my teachers to see how I was coping in the new town and with all that's been happening lately – i.e last night.

I was in my room sketching a profile of Isaac when I felt my cell phone vibrate, "Hello?"

" _Hey_ ," I heard Isaac's voice gasp into the phone. I could hear some screaming and tires squealing in the background, " _Are you at school?_ "

"No, I didn't have to go," I answered slowly, becoming worried, "What's going on?"

" _There's something attacking!_ " He sound panicked.

"What?" I shouted down the phone, causing Bethany to burst into my room. I ignored her looks, "Get out of there, Isaac!"

"What's going on?" Beth asked.

But I ignored her when I heard two gun shots ring down the phone, "Isaac!?"

" _I'm fine,_ " He breathed, " _Mr. Argent shot it._ "

"What is it?" I asked, wondering in everyone was staring down at a giant Alpha wolf right now.

" _It's a mountain lion,_ " He answered.

"What?" I said to myself, "Are you sure?"

" _Of course,_ " He said confusedly, " _I'm looking right at it._ "

"Can you please just get out of there and call me when you get home safe?" I pleaded, "Please, I don't like this."

" _If it'll make you feel better,_ " He allowed, " _I think my dad and I are leaving now anyway._ "

I sighed in relief, "Okay good. I'll talk to you soon."

He told me 'goodnight' and we hung up.

I was dialing my mom's cell as Beth repeated her question. I listened to the phone ring as I answered, "The mountain lion attacked the school. Allison's dad shot it down."

" _Hey Jessie,_ " Mom answered.

"Are you okay?" I rose my voice, really worried, "Isaac just called about the mountain lion."

Mom tutted, " _Of course we're okay, it didn't come near us. Why did Isaac call?_ "

I ran a hand through my hair, "To see if I was at the school and in any danger."

" _Awww,_ " My mom cooed, " _That boy is so sweet._ "

I rolled my eyes, "He really is. I'll see you when you get home, okay?"

" _Ok, sweetie, love you_."


	9. The Worst Confirmation of Suspicions

I got to school early to go talk to my history teacher. He was surprised to see me at the door, obviously by his eyes widening, "Jessie! What brings you here?"

"I wanted to talk to you about the assignment," I started, "The thing is my adoptive parents history is very transparent, my dad's family came in from Canada and my mom's family came from Sweden and they've stayed in California since the 1900s and didn't get involve in any major historical events. And my biological family is still a big mystery to me."

"And you're worried that you won't have a sufficient enough paper to fulfill the project's demands," He guessed accurately.

I nodded sheepishly, "I have nothing to write about."

"Well, how about this?" He began to suggest, "Don't worry about boring if you want to write about your parents' origins. And don't worry about a little mystery when it comes to your biological parents – it might even be interesting. Just the fact that you're here means I know you'll do a terrific job at the assignment no matter how you go about it."

I guess I could roll with that, "Thanks – I think I have an idea." I mean, I did want to look into Ren and Wanda Torvus.

* * *

In English I sat in the back corner next to an empty seat that Isaac was supposed to be sitting in. I stared blankly at my cell phone that had a text from him.

_Home sick. Don't worry about me. I'll call you later._

I sighed and shut my phone, putting it into my pocket as the bell rang. I went to my class with Allison, noticing Scott duck out of her line of view while he and Stiles discussed something seemingly important.

At lunch I grabbed some food and told Allison I needed to talk to Stiles so she went to find Lydia. I sat next to Scott who was ducking behind a book as Stiles teased him, "I think the book's making it more obvious. Besides, she's reading, anyway."

"What's going on?" I asked.

Scott sighed behind the book, "Derek told me that I need to get rid of distractions – basically Allison – if I wanna learn how to control this."

"He also told you to give into your anger so you could shift," Stiles shot.

"Well... yeah," I said like it was obvious, "You use anger to shift and you use an anchor to shift back."

"Anchor?" Scott asked me, not knowing what I was talking about.

"It's something that you think about to bring your humanity back out and calm yourself down," I told him, "Its like something you love, something you care about."

"Like what?" He asked me.

I shrugged, "I guess I would think of my family. Something that grounds you."

"Like Allison," Scott murmured to himself, before looking at Stiles, "So you're going to help me?"

"Yeah, I'll be your Yoda," He responded, a little full of himself, "Your Yoda I will be. You see – I said it backwards-"

"Yeah, I—I know," Scott said, trying to keep a straight face.

Stiles scowled, "Alright, you know what? I definitely still hate you," he stood, yanking the book from Scott, "Uh huh, oh yeah," and walking away.

Scott cursed as Allison spotted him and fled the cafeteria. Allison called after him but he was gone. She huffed, lost, and sat in front of me, "What was that about?"

I shrugged, "He's a weird guy."

She frowned and I felt bad for her but I couldn't tell her what was really going on. She shook her head as if to clear it and looked at me, "Where's Isaac?"

I sighed, remembering that text, so I pulled it out to show to her, "That's not good, is it? I mean it's probably nothing but he was fine at the parent teacher conferences."

"I thought you didn't go?" Allison asked.

"He called me all worried when the mountain lion attacked to make sure I was okay," I told her.

She smiled and cooed, "Awww, he's so sweet!"

I nodded, blushing, "He's... perfect. But I'm worried about him."

"Why?" She asked me, "He's probably just sick like he said. Or just not feeling well."

I ran a hand through my hair, "It's just... I've seen his dad. He's a big guy and seems to get angry quickly. And Isaac has two C's right now so..." I sighed, "I'm probably just being paranoid."

"That's okay," Allison reassured, "I mean – what if something really is happening and you do nothing? I think it would be better to be worried about nothing than ignore the signs of something being wrong. Why don't you go over to check on him after school?"

I nodded, accepting the suggestion, "Thanks Allison."

* * *

I was on my way to the library when I saw Allison and Jackson sitting against some lockers talking. I saw Allison hastily excuse herself from his company and practically run away. Jackson shakily stood up. He looked pale and sweaty with heavy dark purple bags under his eyes.

"Hey Jackson," I greeted him. He turned to face me and tried to stand away from the lockers but he stumbled. I rushed to catch him from falling, "Oh my god – Jackson, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," He mumbled, "I'm fine."

"You are not fine," I told him, "You're practically the walking dead."

He shook his head and fell into a sitting position against the lockers again. I dropped my book bag and sat next to him, grabbing his face to make him look at me, "What's going on?"

"I just... run myself a little too ragged," He whispered.

I weaved my arm through his, "You're really intense, you know that? About everything."

"I..." He trailed off, his eyes glazing over, "Do you ever think about your real parents?"

"Honestly? I do that a lot more lately," I admitted.

"Do you ever... feel like you're not good enough for them?" He asked softly, implying his insecurities to me. "Like no matter what you do they'll be glad that they gave you up?"

"Jackson..." I whispered, taking his hand in mine and tilting my head down to look into his eyes, "You're parents would be very proud of you – and you're real parents, the ones who have raised you, they  _are_  very proud of you. And how do you know that they gave you up because they didn't want you? There's a multitude of reasons you ended up adopted that don't include them abandoning you. But you can't live your life trying to be good enough for people you've never met."

"My parents were proud of me," He whispered, "Before. Now everyone's chanting Scott's name."

"Forget Scott," I snorted, "He's a good lacrosse player and he has friends and Allison. But you're a good lacrosse player, you have friends and you have Lydia. Not to mention classic good looks and popularity."

"Classic good looks?" He smirked at me.

I rolled my eyes, laughing, "Of course you would only hear that part."

He smirked at me, "Did you expect anything less?"

"The point is," I took a breath, "Don't be too hard on yourself. I like you just the way you are and I'm sure everyone would agree with me."

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders bringing me into a side hug. I felt him kiss the top of my hair, "Thank you, Jessie."

* * *

I wanted to take Allison's advice and go check on Isaac. I knew where he lived so I just needed a reason to stop by. I parked in front of the house so they'd see me coming and hesitated at the front door before knocking decisively twice.

I heard someone shout that they were coming before the door was viciously yanked open to reveal my disheveled boyfriend. His eyes widened comically when seeing me there, "Jessie! What are you doing here?"

I held up the little box I was holding, "I brought tea – since you're so... sick..." I trailed off as I noticed something that made my blood run cold. Isaac had a black eye.

I heard a man's voice shout, "Who is it, Isaac?"

Isaac looked panicking and stammered, "No—no one, just-"

Just then the man I'd only seen once before stepped into view. He was large and a little bit bulky, like he was once really strong but he had let himself go. His skin was tan and his hair curly like Isaac's yet gray. His eyes were a cold deep blue behind circular glasses that were too small for such an intense figure. "Who is this?"

I spoke before Isaac could, "Hello, sir, I'm Jessie. Isaac told me he was home sick from school so I thought I'd bring him some tea. It always made me feel better growing up."

"Well," He commented, "How thoughtful. Isaac, isn't that thoughtful?" It was a compliment but it still sounded menacing.

Isaac nervously looked between his dad and me before settling his eyes on me and trying to smile, "Yes, it's pretty thoughtful. Thank you, Jessie."

I nodded awkwardly, "It's really no problem. I wanted to."

"Why don't you come in?" Mr. Lahey invited, "Isaac, let her in." Isaac nervously shrunk away from his dad and opened the door wider and held my hand, leading me inside.

Mr. Lahey led us into the kitchen and put a kettle on the stove, "So, Jessie, are you in the same grade as Isaac?"

Isaac held out a chair at the table for me to sit in before grabbing a seat himself. "Um.. yeah we have a couple classes together."

"Is that how you met?" He asked, grabbing the last seat opposite Isaac.

I shook my head, blushing, "No, I kind of, um, ran him over in the hallway one day. Then I saw him again while he was working in the graveyard."

"The graveyard? What were you doing there?" He asked with a small smirk.

I faced him head on, refusing to shrink under his gaze, "I was visiting my parents. Don't say you're sorry – I never knew them. I'm adopted into a very nice family."

He leaned back in his chair with a malicious smile, "Tell me about your family."

"Hmm," I pondered, "My mom works at the bakery and my dad works at the hospital. My brother, Baako, is studying cultural anthropology in Africa right now and my little sister, Bethany, is in Beacon Hills Middle School."

"Forgive me if I'm grilling you," Mr. Lahey apologized, "But Isaac never likes to talk about his personal life. I never meet friends or girls. Now that I think of it, I didn't see you at the parent teacher conference."

I shrugged, "I didn't have to go. I have a photographic memory – something I was born with. It's not as cut and dry as people think but it helps."

He seemed impressed by this, "Really? That must make school easy."

I shook my head, "It doesn't really work like that. Sometimes it's difficult to access the information so I have to use brain tools to store it so the more important stuff is easier to remember."

"How do you do that?"

"I create a house with a lot of rooms and each room is a different subject or event in my life that I find important and when I need to access certain information I just go to the right room," I explained.

"Sounds very high minded," he commented as the kettle started to whistle. He grabbed a few mugs and three tea bags from the box I set on the table and started to pour the steaming water into the mugs. He set the mugs down and slid two of them over to me and Isaac. We deposited our tea bags and awkwardly sat at the table.

"Are you sleeping with my son?"

Isaac and my head shot up quick as lighting as our eyes widened. I gaped at the man, "What?"

"It's a very simple question," He stated as if he asked if I thought it would snow tonight, "Are you sleeping with my son?"

"No," I gasped out, "We're just sixteen – we're not—just no."

"I won't be mad," He told me. But I heard Isaac's quick intake of breath that told me he heard this before and it didn't hold much solace. "You can tell me."

"Mr. Lahey," I started a little slowly, "I am not sleeping with your son – and that's the truth."

We stared each other down for a moment before he leaned back in his chair, "Okay then."

I then heard the lyrics to All Eyes by Imagine Dragons and inwardly cursed, digging my phone out of my pocket and looking to see it was Deaton calling. I looked at Isaac and then his father, "Sorry, it's my boss. I have to get this."

Mr. Lahey waved me off as I stood and walked into the front hallway to answer my phone, "Hello?"

" _Hello Jessie,_ " I heard my boss's voice on the line, " _I know it's your day off but I've got my hands full here and Scott hasn't come in yet. Would you mind coming in to help me?_ "

"Scott's not there?" I asked in shock, that wasn't like him, "Well – of course I can come in. Give me ten minutes."

" _Thank you, Jessie._ "

I hung up and walked back into the kitchen, "Sorry but I'm needed at the vet. I have to go."

"It's quite alright, Jessie," Mr. Lahey grinned, standing, "Isaac, see her out to her car."

"Yes, sir," Isaac mumbled, putting a hand on the small of my back and leading me outside hastily. Once we were outside I roughly grabbed his arm and walked down to my car, hissing at him, "What the hell is going on, Isaac? You're a no show to school and you have that black eye and you're obviously not sick." I put my hands on my hips, looking up at him, "Your dad's a real charmer," I mentioned as well, sarcasm dripping from my voice.

Isaac looked like he was ready to cry in fear, "Just forget about it Jessie, okay? Just forget you were ever here." He went to open my door but I slammed it shut, frustrating him.

"No," I wanted to shout, yell, hit something and cry all at the same time. I hated seeing Isaac this scared and hurt. "You don't deserve this. You should tell Sheriff Stilinski."

"I can't," He hissed down at me vehemently, "You don't understand."

"What's there to understand?" I asked incredulously, "Your dad is beating you. If you stay in that house... I can't think of what could happen to you."

Isaac sniffed and cupped my face in his hands, "I will be okay, I promise."

"You can't promise that," I muttered, "You don't know what he might do to you."

"He's just angry a lot," Isaac offered feebly, "But I'll be okay. Just go to work and try to forget about this."

I harshly opened my car door, "Don't for one second think that this is over, Isaac. We'll talk later."


	10. Night School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group faces off with the Alpha when lured to the High School after hours...

I was giving one of the dogs his medicine through a cage while Deaton worked at the table. We heard the door ding and assumed it was Scott. "Scott, you're late again. I hope this isn't getting to be a habit. Can I help you?"

I walked into the room to see that it was Derek coming in.

"Derek?" I asked, surprised.

"Hi Jessie," He greeted quickly before turning his attention to Deaton, "I want to know about the animal you found with the spiral on it's side?"

"Excuse me?" Deaton asked at the same time I asked, "Spiral?" with a sense of dread pooling in my stomach.

"Three months ago," Derek said, unfolding a piece of paper and holding out a picture of a deer with a spiral carved into its side, "The deer. You remember this?"

Deaton started to seem a little intimidated, "Oh, yes. It's just a deer. And I didn't find it. They called me because they wanted to know if I'd ever seen anything like it."

Derek folded the paper back up and put it in his pocket, "What'd you tell 'em?"

"I told them no," Deaton's voice wavered. I watched him carefully, suspicious but not wanting to believe Deaton had anything to do with this.

"Did you hear that?" Derek asked, stepping closer to my boss menacingly.

"Hear what?" Deaton whispered.

"The sound of your heartbeat rising," Derek nearly growled, "It's the sound of you lying."

"Oh, god," Deaton muttered as Derek raised his fist and punched him, knocking him out and causing a cut a bruise to form under his eye.

"What the hell, Derek?" I shouted as he taped my boss to a chair.

"He was lying," Derek answered gruffly.

"So his heart beat faster," I said, "You were scaring him."

Deaton groaned in his chair and Derek crouched in front of his face, "Are you protecting someone?"

"The key to the drug locker is in my pocket," Deaton mumbled, a little out of it.

"I don't want drugs," Derek growled, "I want to know why you're lying."

"I don't know—" Deaton cut off when he noticed I was still there, "Jessie, get out of here!"

"I'm not gonna hurt her," Derek swore, "I want to know who you are or who you're protecting." He raised his fist to hit Deaton again, knocking him unconscious.

"Stop knocking out my boss, please," I yelled at him.

"He can't keep himself from healing if he's unconscious," Derek told me, going to hit him again. But with a strength and speed I didn't know I had, I grabbed Derek's arm mid swing and pinned him to the wall, a hand around his throat, raising him a little bit off the ground.

I was jolted out of the adrenaline rush when I heard Scott's voice cry out behind us, "What the hell is going on here?"

I snapped out of it and abruptly let go of Derek. He fell to his feet and I backed away from him, disgusted as he looked at me with shock. I could only guess my expression looked scared and shocked as well. "How did you do that?"

I shook my head helplessly as my voice cracked out, "I don't know."

"It's okay," Derek soothed me, pushing my hair away from my face, "We'll figure it out later. But you didn't hurt me." He knew that was what I was really worried about. I nodded feebly.

"Can someone answer me?" Scott called out at us.

"You're boss has been keeping something from us and I want to know what," Derek said.

"You think he's the Alpha," I realized out loud.

Derek nodded to me, "You said it was someone you knew – and that they didn't want to hurt you at the video store. You don't know a lot of people here, Jessie. It can't be one of us and it can't be someone you don't know because you're feelings are always right. It has to be him."

"That spiral you were talking about," I remembered from the photo, "That's why he's killing isn't it?"

Derek reluctantly nodded but Scott seemed more and more frustrated, "What the hell does that stupid spiral mean?"

"It means revenge, Scott," I revealed to him.

"It's our sign for vendetta," Derek added, "It means he won't stop killing until he's satisfied."

"Let's just wait, Derek," I tried, "We need to make sure it's him – and not by hurting him."

"Do you have any ideas?" Derek asked sarcastically.

Scott looked up from Deaton like a light bulb went off, "I might – just give me an hour."

"And then what?" Derek requested impatiently.

"Meet me at the school. In the parking lot," Scott said, going for the doorway before pausing and turning back around, "Jessie, stay with him to make sure he doesn't hurt Deaton."

I nodded, "Will do."

* * *

Derek strapped Deaton up and shoved him unceremoniously in the back seat. We were on our way to the school when he asked me what was wrong.

"What do you mean?" I evaded, looking down into my lap.

He briefly looked at me before looking back at the road, "You're worried about something but not your boss."

"I'm worried about Deaton," I insisted.

"Something else," Derek said, making a turn.

I sighed, "I'm worried about Isaac."

"Your boyfriend?" Derek asked me, "Did you tell him about all this?"

I immediately shook my head, "No, I want to keep him as far away from this as possible. But... I think his dad is hurting him."

"You think he's getting abused?"

I crossed my arms in front of my chest and looked out the window, "All the signs are there... but he just told me to forget about it. I can't do that Derek. Ever since we met and all this started, I've felt protective of him. It's like it's my job to make sure he's safe but I can't do that if he won't let me."

We arrived to the school and parked and got out. Scott and Stiles were already there and Scott walked up to us, "Where's our boss?"

"In the back," Derek answered gruffly.

Scott and Stiles peered at Deaton's bound and unconscious form. Stiles remarked sarcastically, "Oh, well, he looks comfortable."

Stiles and Scott started walking to the school but Derek called out, "Wait. Hey. What are you doing?"

"You said I was linked with the Alpha," Scott said continuing into the School with Stiles. Derek and I leaned against the jeep. I shivered in the cold night air and Derek shrugged off his leather jacket, putting it around my shoulders. I looked up at him, "Thanks," before leaning on his shoulder. Derek always seemed familiar and trustworthy to me, if a little damaged. We had some kind of bond – which is why I was so sure he wasn't the murderer. But it was platonic and I really didn't care what it was right now.

"About your boyfriend," Derek started, causing me to look up at him, "What if he was strong enough to fight back?"

"What do you mean?" I asked confusedly.

"What if he was like me, and Scott?" He offered, "What if he had the ability to not only protect himself but to protect you too?"

"Derek I don't want him to become a werewolf," I told him, "I've seen what it's doing to Scott and the trouble it's been causing. I know you think of it as a gift and maybe it could be. But right now, its a danger magnet and I can't bare to think of Isaac getting roped into this."

"Okay," Derek whispered. Just then we heard some sound like a cat being strangled to death over the school's speakers. Derek growled, "You've got to be kidding me."

I was trying to hold back my laughter, "Is that supposed to be a howl?"

"He's trying to call the alpha," Derek told me.

The next sound we heard was deep, baritone growl practically shaking the foundation of the entire school. Then Stiles and Scott came jogging out all smiled and very happy with themselves. Derek wasn't impressed, "I'm gonna kill both of you! What the hell was that? What are you trying to do, attract the entire state to the school?"

Scott smiled sheepishly, "Sorry. I didn't know it would be that loud."

"Yeah, it was loud. And it was AWESOME!" Stiles sang, still giddy.

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever you guys, what was this supposed to accomplish?"

"What'd you do with him?" Scott asked, peering into Derek's car.

Derek and I turned to look and see that Deaton wasn't in the car, "What? We didn't do anything."

Just then we heard a terrifying growl and saw the Alpha stab Derek in the back, lifting his body up. Blood spurted from his mouth as the Alpha threw his body into the grass. I screamed at the sight and the Alpha standing over me but Scott grabbed my hand and we all ran into the school.

Scott and Stiles hastily shut the doors, Scott shouting, "Lock it, lock it!"

"Do I look like I have a key?" Stiles shouted back.

"Grab something!"

Stiles looked around before something out the window caught his eye. Scott saw what Stiles wanted and shook his head, "No."

But Stiles didn't listen and opened the door, running outside as Scott and I yelled at him, "No, Stiles, don't!"

Stiles stumbled over to the tool he wanted, looking around for the Alpha but he wasn't there. Suddenly the giant red eyed wolf jumped from behind the jeep. Scott shouted as he banged on the door, "Run, Stiles, run!"

Stiles shakily stood and sprinted back inside, shutting the door and putting the tool in the handles. We all looked out the window. I took a shaky breath, "Where is he?"

"That's won't hold, will it?" Scott asked rhetorically.

"Probably not," Stiles answered.

Stiles grabbed my hand this time and we ran into a class room. Scott and Stiles grabbed the giant teachers desk and started to move it before I told them, "Stop! The door's not gonna keep it out, trust me."

"I know," Scott admitted as they stopped.

"It's your boss," Stiles told us, "Deaton, the alpha?"

"No," Scott shook his head.

I agreed, "I know it's not him."

"Well the evidence overpowers your feelings, Jessie," Stiles told me, "He disappears, and that thing shows up ten seconds later to toss Derek 20 feet through the air? That's not convenient timing?"

"I know it's not him, Stiles," I insisted.

"He killed Derek," Stiles pointed out.

I shook my head, "No, Derek will heal. He healed from the bullet wound – he'll heal from this."

"Blood spurted out of his mouth, okay?" Stiles stated, "That doesn't exactly qualify as a minor injury. He's dead, and we're next."

"Okay!" Scott surrendered, "Just – what do we do?"

Stiles thought for a moment as I went to look out for the Alpha out the windows. "We get to my jeep, we get out of here, you two seriously consider quitting your jobs, good?"

"Not good," I said as I noticed something about Stiles' jeep, "Your jeep is bent."

"What?" Stiles squeaked coming behind me to look for himself, "You mean dented."

"No, bent," I insisted. The hood of his jeep was bent in the middle. What happened?

"What the hell-" Suddenly something crashed through the window, glass shattering by our heads. A piece flew into my cheek – it was small though. We looked to see what it was.

"That's my battery," Stiles cursed. He looked at me then and gently pried the glass from my skin, "Are you okay, Jessie?"

I nodded shakily, "I'll be fine. We have to go."

"He could be right outside," Scott guessed.

"Then go look first," I told him like it was obvious.

Scott slowly inched up to look out the window. He breathed out, "Nothing."

Stiles grabbed me and pulled me up, keeping a hand around my waist, "Then let's go!"

We walked out the door and into the hallway, "Where do we go?"

"Somewhere without windows," Stiles answered me.

Scott gave him a look, "Every single room in this building has windows!"

"Somewhere with less windows then," Stiles amended.

"Locker room!" I shouted, dragging them in the right direction. They followed me into the locker room and Scott told Stiles to call his dad.

"And tell him what?" Stiles hissed at him, not wanting to put his dad in danger after he got hurt at the school when the 'mountain lion' attacked.

"I don't know," Scott wasn't helping, "Anything. Gas leak, a fire, whatever. If that thing sees the parking lot filled with cop cars, it'll take off."

"What if it doesn't?" Stiles asked, "What if it goes completely terminator and kills every cop in sight, including my dad?"

"The have guns," Scott tried.

"Derek needed to be shot by a wolfs bane bullet just to slow him down!" Stiles pointed out, "You remember that?"

"We have to find a way out then," Scott tried to think, "And just run for it."

"We'd need a car," I told him.

"What about Derek's car?"

Stiles looked at him like that was actually a good idea, "That could work. We go outside, we get the keys off his body, and then we take his car."

"And him," I added.

Stiles rolled his eyes, "Fine. Whatever."

I went for the door when Scott grabbed my waist and pulled me away, "I think I hear something..."

"What?" Stiles hissed.

"Quiet," Scott demanded, "Hide!"

Stiles scrambled like a spazz before deciding to hide in a locker. Scott sighed and opened a locker for me before shoving himself into another one. We tried to be as quiet as possible as we heard foot steps and the door knob slowly turn. I pushed myself against the back of the locker and shut my eyes, trying to control my breathing.

I heard the locker door next to me – Scott – get yanked open, "Son of a bitch!"

I gasped as Stiles and I jumped out of our lockers and tried to shush the janitor, "Quiet!"

"Quiet my ass," He growled at us, "what the hell are you trying to do, kill me? All of you get out!"

"Will you just listen for half a second, okay?" Stiles pleaded in a whispery command.

"Not okay," He said sternly, "I don't want to know what you teens are doing in here. Get the hell out of here right now," he grabbed Scott and Stiles' collars and dragged them out of the locker room as I followed.

"God just one second to explain," Stiles whined.

"Just shut up and go!"

Suddenly his body was yanked into the room and the door slammed shut. We heard shouting and I screamed when the janitor's body slammed against the window, blood smearing the glass as he shouted in pain and agony. Stiles grabbed me as Scott led us away, "Go! Go!"

We ran until we found some doors and Scott and Stiles slammed their bodies against them, only for the doors not to budge. They kept pushing and I even joined in. But to no avail. "What the hell?"

Scott peaked out, "It's a dumpster."

Stiles cursed, "He pushed it in front of the door to clock us in," he tried to put the door open again, "Come on, help me!"

"Stop," Scott pulled him away and we started walking back down the hallway. Stiles seemed really hyper and ready to freak out, "I'm not dying here. I'm not dying at school."

"We're not going to die," I told him, grabbing his hand to help him calm down.

"What is he doing?" Stiles asked no one in particular, "What does he want?"

"He wants me," Scott said hopelessly, "Derek says it's stronger with a pack."

"Oh, great," Stiles squealed, "A psychotic werewolf who's into team work. That's—that's beautiful."

Scoot stopped as he saw something out the window. We both looked and saw the Alpha on the roof of the next building. It stared at Scott for a moment before it started running on all fours toward the building we were in. We gasped and started running again down the hall.

We ended up in some beat up basement locker room. We ducked behind some old lockers but I could hear growling. Scott whispered to us and nudged us over, "Go."

We ran, ducking the alpha growl until we circled and got back out to the hallway. Stiles spazzed out, "We have to do something. Kill it, hurt it, inflict mental anguish on it. Something."

He suddenly had some idea because he pulled keys out of his pocket and before we could ask, he threw them into the room in front of the open door we were behind. I could hear the alpha growl and watched through the window as it ran into the room. Stiles quickly shut the heavy door, "Desk! Come on, the desk!" We pulled the desk against the opposite wall and shoved it against the door.

I sighed in relief.

"Get across," Stiles told me and Scott so we jumped over the desk onto the other side. I could feel some prickling on the back of my neck, like goosebumps. And I knew I was going to regret this but I always followed my feelings. So I turned back to look into the window.

"What are you doing?" Scott hissed at me, grabbing the fabric of Derek's jacket that I was still wearing.

"I need to see something," I whispered.

Suddenly the alpha's snout and red eyes were right at the window, huffing and growling deep in its throat. But it didn't do anything. Just stared at me.

"What do you want?" I whispered, "Why have you been doing all this?"

I got no answer but the alpha to run off and smash into the ceiling. Scott pulled me away as we saw the ceiling tiles start to cave it. We quickly turned and ran off.

Suddenly Scott stopped, causing me to stop since he still had a hold of the jacket, "Wait. Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Stiles asked.

Scott started looking around for whatever he was hearing, "It sounds like a phone ringing. I know that ring – it's Allison's phone."

"This just keeps getting better," I stated sarcastically. I pulled out my phone and called Allison.

Her voice answered, " _Jessie?_ "

"Where are you?" I asked urgently.

" _I'm in the school looking for Scott, he didn't show up at my house,_ " She answered me.

I sighed, running my other hand through my hair, "Where are you exactly in the school?"

Scott's eyes widened, "She's here!?"

" _I'm at the swimming pools,_ " She told me, " _What's going on?_ "

"Ummm..." I thought for a second, "Go to the lobby. We'll meet you there. Go now."

" _Okay, okay, I'm coming._ "

I hung up and we started running for the lobby. We got there just as Allison did and Scott rushed over to her, "What are you doing here?"

She seemed really confused, "Because you asked me to."

"What?" Scott asked, "No I didn't."

Allison pulled out her phone and scrolled to her texts, holding it up to show that it said _Meet me at the school – Scott._  Her face turned slightly scared at the confusion on Scott's face. His phone was shattered. "Why do I get the feeling you didn't send this message?"

"Because I didn't," Scott told her.

"Did you drive here?" Stiles asked urgently.

"Jackson did," She answered.

"Jackson's here?" I asked surprised.

"And Lydia – what's going on? Who sent this text?" Then her phone rang and she answered it, "Where are you?"

The other doors were pushed open by Lydia on her phone and Jackson. Lydia put her phone away, "Finally. Can we go now?"

"Yes," I breathed, "I would like to leave now too."

Suddenly we heard something thud over our heads. Scott shouted, "Run!" as the alpha crashed through the ceiling and we took off in a sprint. Scott pulled Allison by her hand and Jackson practically carried Lydia on her arm. Stiles was in the front and I was in the back when I was suddenly grabbed by a claw in my ankle and I fell onto the floor with a yelp.

I heard the alpha right behind and Jackson's voice shout my name. I turned onto my back and saw the wolf staring down at me. I felt his claws dig into my ankle and could feel tears come to my eyes. "Go way – just go away."

It huffed as Jackson got to me and pulled me away. I cried out as pain shot up my body from my ankle and Jackson noticed, grabbing me into his arms bridal style. We all finally made it into the cafeteria. Jackson set me down on a lunch table before helping Scott pull the ice cream machine in front of the doors as the girls piled stacks of chairs in front of the door to barricade it. All ignoring Stiles shouting for their attention.

He finally shouted, "Hello!" grabbing their attention, "Okay, nice work. Really beautiful job, everyone. Now – what should we do about the 20 foot wall of windows?"

They didn't really have an answer as Jackson came to stand next to me on the table, "Are you okay?"

I shook my head, a couple tears falling down my face, "It got my ankle."

"What was that thing?" Allison asked Scott, "Could somebody please explain what's going on, because I'm freaking out here. And I would like to know why. Scott?"

Scott was desperately searching for an explanation that could still keep his secret. They all saw the alpha. They know it's not human and it's not normal. He could pass it off as a mountain lion.

"The janitor's dead," Stiles deadpanned.

Allison gaped, "What's he talking about? Is this a joke?"

"Did the thing that got Jessie, kill him?" Jackson asked them.

"No, no, no, no," Lydia murmured to herself in fear, "This was supposed to be over. The mountain lion-"

"It was never a mountain lion," Jackson rudely interrupted her. He turned to me, "Let me see your ankle."

I winced, lifting it onto the table and pulling up my jeans. There were three gashed in the skin, two on the outside and one on the inside. The group crowded around me and Allison gasped, "That looks really deep."

"You're going to lose too much blood," Lydia told me, "You need to get to a hospital."

Everyone's expressions were grim until Jackson said, "Call the cops."

"No," Stiles answered automatically.

"What?" Jackson asked incredulously, "Call them! Call your dad. We need guys with guns and Jessie needs an ambulance!"

"I'm calling," Lydia asked immediately taking her phone out and dialing before Stiles could stop her, "Yes, we're at Beacon Hills high school. We're trapped, and we need you to-" she cut off, "But no! One of us is hurt badly-" She cut off again and slowly took the phone from her ear, "She hung up on me..."

"The police hung up on you?" Allison asked in disbelief.

"She said they got a tip warning them that there were gonna be prank calls about a break-in at the high school. She said if I called again that they're gonna trace it and have me arrested."

"Then call again," Allison told her, pointing at her phone.

"No," Stiles sighed, knowing the drill, "They won't trace a cell and they'll send a car to your house before they send anyone here."

"What-" Allison broke off, "What's happening? Who sent that text if there's some kind of animal in here trying to kill us?"

They all looked at Scott who looked back at them with wide eyes, "Why is everyone looking at me?"

"There are bigger issues at hand here," I interrupted, "Like how we're going to get out of here alive."

"Stiles," His eyes whipped to me, I could feel my breath getting heavier, "Stiles, please call your dad. I don't feel so good."

"She's losing too much blood," Lydia repeated, "Look at her – her skin is paler than usual and she's having trouble breathing."

Stiles sighed, knowing I needed help, and pulled out his phone, "Dad, hey, it's me... and it's your voice mail. Look, I need you to call me back now. Like, right now. We're at the school and Jessie's really hurt so please – we're at the school." He hung up and put his phone in his pocket.

"We need to get to a classroom," Lydia said, "They all have first aid kits somewhere."

"The kitchen," Stiles said, "The door out of the kitchen leads to the stairwell."

"Which only goes up," Scott argued.

"Up is better than here," Stiles said, leading us into the kitchen. Jackson picked me up and followed the group. We made it into the chemistry classroom and Jackson put me at a chair at a lab table while Lydia went into the teacher's desk looking for a first aid kit. Jackson lifted my leg onto another chair and laid it into his lap.

"Jackson, how many people can fit in your car?" Scott asked him.

He answered as he pulled up my jeans and took off my flat shoe, "Five, if someone squeezes on someone's lap."

"Five?" Allison hissed in a quiet voice, "I barely fit in the back."

"It doesn't matter," Stiles dismissed, "There's no getting out without drawing attention."

"What about this?" Scott brought him over to the door that led to the stair well.

I hissed when Lydia hit my wounds with a cotton swap to clean them. I clenched Jackson's hand at the pain as Lydia got out butterfly band aids and some gauze and a wrap. I heard Scott say, "I'm getting the key," and Allison ask if he was serious.

"Well, it's the best plan," he told her, "Someone has to get the key if we wanna get out of here."

"You can't go out there unarmed," She rebutted.

Lydia walked over and pointed to the chemistry cabinet next to the teacher's desk, "In there is everything you need to make a self-igniting Molotov cocktail."

"Self-igniting-"

"Molotov cocktail," Lydia finished for Stiles and everyone looked at her in shock, "What? I read it somewhere."

"We don't have a key for that either," Stiles pointed out.

Jackson sighed and walked over, shattering the glass with his elbow. Lydia got into business mode, "Allison-" but she noticed the girl looking a little helpless so she changed her mind, "Jackson, wrap up Jessie's ankle while I get to work."

Jackson walked over to me, "I have no idea what to do."

"It's okay," I told him reassuringly, "It's just to keep me at bay until we can get help. Just pull the cuts together for the butterfly band aids, carefully. And then wrap the gauze around it and tape it off. I'm still gonna need help getting out of here though."

"Jessie..." Jackson breathed as he got a band aid ready, "That thing... is it the same thing..."

"That attacked us in the video store?" I guessed, before sighing and nodding, "Yeah."

"It always pauses for you," Jackson breathed to himself. I hissed in pain when his fingers tugged the skin of one of the claw marks together. He said sorry, applying the adhesive band aid. He was wrapping up my ankle in the gauze as Allison begged Scott to stay. He held whatever fire bomb Lydia made for him.

"...Just—just please—please don't go. Please don't leave us. Please."

Scott looked at her helplessly, "Lock it behind me," and ran out the door.

It was a little while later that Lydia was checking Jackson's work while Allison and Stiles sat by the door and she was shaking, "I don't get this. I don't get why he's out there, and why he left us. And I can't—I can't stop my hands from shaking."

Stiles rubbed her shoulder, "It'll be okay."

Suddenly we heard a loud roar through the school and Jackson dropped the the floor, clutching his neck and screaming in pain. "Jackson!?" I shouted as Lydia kneeled next to him. He just kept screaming.

And suddenly it stopped and he was on the floor panting as Allison and Lydia helped him up. He shrugged them off, "I'm fine. Seriously – I'm okay."

Stiles reached for his collar, "What's that on the back of your neck?"

"I said I'm fine," Jackson snapped.

"It's been there for days," Lydia countered, "He won't tell me what happened."

"Like you actually care," Jackson hissed at her.

"All right, can we not argue for like a half a second here?" Stiles requested.

"Where's Scott?" Allison asked worriedly, "He should be back by now."

About a minute later we heard something against the door. Allison threw herself at it, trying to turn the knob and open the door, "Scott! Scott!"

"Where's he going?" Lydia asked in fear while Allison just kept shouting his name.

"Stop!" I shouted, hearing sirens in the distance, "do you hear that?"

They all piled against the window and collectively sighed in relief.

* * *

I was laid out on a cot in the back of an ambulance with Jackson next to me. The EMT unwrapped my ankle as Stiles and Scott talked to Sheriff Stilinski and Lydia talked to Allison. "What?" I heard the EMT's voice.

I sat up and looked at him, "What is it?"

"You guys must have overestimated your injury Miss Hansen," He told me, "They're not nearly as deep as you implied."

"What are you talking about?" Jackson asked him like he was stupid.

I looked at my ankle and gasped. The wounds weren't nearly as large anymore, they looked half healed.

This wasn't even the weirdest mystery. Where was Derek's car...and Derek?

* * *

THIRD PERSON POV

A woman drove herself home after a closing shift, nothing but trees around her as she drove over the bridge. But she noticed something on the side of the road and saw that it was a camaro. She pulled over and got out of her car, but not before grabbing some pepper spray, "Hello?"

She heard a gasp of pain from inside the car but she couldn't see inside. She opened the driver's door and gasped loudly, covering her mouth at the sight of a man inside the car. He had dried blood at the bottom of his mouth and blood seeping from a cut in his chest.

"Oh my god!" She shrieked, "What happened to you?"

She could have sworn the guy whispered, "the alpha," but who knows how crazy he must be. She grabbed his arm and tugged him to lean on her as she led him to her Honda. She deposited him in the back seat, "I'm taking you to the hospital."

"No," he gasped, "No hospital."

"What the hell are you talking about? Of course I'm taking you to the hospital," She decided as she started to pull away.

But he grabbed her wrist, yanking her close to his face, "Please. Anywhere but the hospital."

She sighed, "I am so gonna regret this." She shut the door and got back into the driver's side, starting for her place of work because she knew no one would be there.

She made a U-turn and headed for the bakery.


	11. Goodbye Letter

THIRD PERSON POV

Jessie sat on her bed, her ankle wrapped and on top of a pillow. Her mother sat in front of her with a worried look, "What were you doing there?"

Jessie searched for something to answer with that sounded plausible, "It trapped us in the school."

"And you didn't get a good look at it?" Paula asked her daughter desperately.

Jessie just shook her head, "All I did was run and try to get me and my friends out of there. I swear I didn't see anything clear enough."

Paula grabbed her hands in hers and shushed her soothingly, "I know – I believe you."

Jessie laid back against her headboard, "Can we not talk about it anymore please?"

"Sure," she whispered back, "But Isaac has been calling. That boy has been so worried. He really cares about you."

Jessie nodded, looking down into her lap, weakly responding, "I'll call him."

Paula leaned forward and kissed her forehead, getting up and closing the door behind her.

Jessie sighed and pulled up Isaac's name in her contacts, pressing Send.

" _Hello?_ "

"Isaac," Jessie sighed, "Hey."

" _Jessie!_ " Isaac breathed out in relief, " _Oh my god – thank god you're okay. Do you know how scared I've been?_ "

"Not as scared as I've been I can promise you that," Jessie answered wryly.

" _I know..._ " he sounded so tired, " _I'm so sorry thi-_ "

"Don't be," Jessie interjected, "You didn't trap us in the school. And I promise I am completely fine."

" _Are you coming to school tomorrow?_ " He asked her.

She sighed, "I don't know. Depends on how I feel in the morning I guess."

" _Well either way I'll be coming over,_ " He told her resolutely, " _I just-_ "

"I would like that," She interrupted him softly to save him the trouble, "I'll show you how fine I am."

He chuckled into the phone, " _Goodnight Jessica._ "

She rolled her eyes, "You're lucky I like you so much or else I'd throttle you for calling me Jessica."

He laughed again, " _I'm a lucky guy._ "

* * *

Derek groaned in pain and opened his eyes as he tried to get a feel for his surroundings. He didn't sense any danger but there was no familiarity in this place. He heard some shuffling and banging, like someone was looking for something in a different room. And then he heard heals clicking on the floor as said person walking into the room he was in.

"You're awake!" The person – a woman – gasped in relief, "Finally – it's been hours."

Derek wheezed for a second trying to sit up. The woman rushed to his side to help him as he rasped, "Where am I?"

The woman came into view then and he finally knew what she looked like. Any guy could say she was a pretty girl, even hot if they were so juvenile. She had straight brown hair with highlights and skin almost but not quite as tan as his own and light brown eyes that almost looked golden. Her smile was gentle and awkward when she answered him, "Well... I found you in your car on the side of the road and you begged me not to take you to the hospital... so I took you here, my mom's bakery."

Derek looked around again. He must have been in some break room or something, on a table.

"What happened to you?" The woman asked, "I mean—you were bleeding pretty badly but half of your wounds are gone by now when they shouldn't be. I thought I was gonna have to stitch you up but I ended up just having to bandage you."

Derek looked down to see he was shirtless with a large white bandage around his midsection where he'd been stabbed.

"It was so weird..." the woman murmured, "It looked like you had a hole in your chest when I brought you in... and it took a while to find the stuff I needed. But by the time I did, your back was closed up and I just had to cover your wound."

Derek didn't know how to explain himself to her. He was stranger who healed quickly. But she was a stranger too. "Why?"

"Why what?" She asked him dubiously.

"Why help me?"

She didn't seem to know how to answer that. She hesitated before just shrugging, "You needed help."

"That's it?" Derek asked her incredulously.

She nodded with a soft smile, "It's that simple sometimes."

Derek grunted as he tried to stand off the table so she rushed to his side again to help him stand up before slowly letting him go. He looked down at her, as if trying to solve her like a puzzle. But there were too many missing pieces. "I should go."

"No," she disagreed, "You should rest. There's a couch over there," she pointed to the other side of the room where there was a green fuzzy couch against the wall next to a counter and a fridge. "You can rest there for however long you need. It's not like there's no food here and no one but me is coming in the morning. Do you have your own place?"

"S'not safe," he panted.

She nodded to herself, "Well—my place isn't far from here. I can drive you over before opening."

"You'd bring a stranger home?" Derek asked in thinly veiled shock and doubt.

"Well you're not really a stranger Derek," She responded, shocking him even more.

"How-"

She cut him off with a half-hearted chuckle, "We went to school together. Dated briefly in Freshman Year before my dad died and I broke up with you."

"Marissa Jude," Derek breathed out in realization as he finally recognized her. She looked so different.

"It's okay that you didn't remember," She told him honestly, "I've change a whole hell of a lot since then. I got rid of my acne. I've been dying my hair since college. And I'm a lot less of a bitch now." She smirked at him lightly.

Derek chuckled weakly, "Wish I could say the same about me."

Marissa shook her head in amusement, "Let's get you to my car – might as well head to my place now."

"I couldn't-"

"Well you are," she cut him off, putting one of his arms around her shoulder and lead him into some kitchen. They walked out the side door and into her Honda. She put him in the back seat and got into the driver's seat, driving away from her mother's bakery.

* * *

JESSIE'S POV

I decided I didn't want to go to school the next day. My ankle was still too sore to stand on, but there were no signs of cuts. They were gone completely now. And I couldn't explain it and I was starting to get scared of it. But I needed to keep my mind off of it.

So I decided to look into that note Isaac and I got at the pizza place. I pulled up Google and typed in Wanda Torvus and waited for the results to come up.

There really weren't much results. Each title did the separate Wanda's with no last name of Torvus. But about five titles down there was a link to a website of surnames with Torvus in bold. I clicked on it and was taken to a list of Latin last names. I scrolled toward the bottom to the 'T' section until I found Torvus and clicked on it.

**Torvus**

**Latin for grim. This name is believed to have been changed from Grimm – as in the original Grimm brothers – when their descendants immigrated into the New World.**

"Grimm Brothers?" I whispered to myself just as my phone rang. I jumped a little in my bed and sighed, picking up my phone, "Hello?"

" _He kissed her!_ " I heard Stiles rapid voice, " _She kissed him! I can't believe it! He said he'd do me a favor and he kissed her!?_ "

"Whoa slow down," I interrupted him, "What are you talking about?"

He huffed, " _Scott kissed Lydia._ "

"What?" I asked, shocked, "That doesn't make any sense. Scott is still completely in love with Allison despite 'the break'."

" _I saw!_ " Stiles yelled down the phone.

I sighed, rubbing my forehead, "It's just the full moon. He's starting to act out because of it. Just make sure he doesn't go anywhere tonight. He might not be safe."

" _What should I do?_ "

I shrugged to myself, thinking, "Chain him up? I don't know."

" _Actually, that could work,_ " Stiles told me, " _Thanks, Jessie, feel better._ "

I didn't even say goodbye before he hung up. I just sighed and shook my head before going back to what I was doing. I decided to do some research into the Grimm Brothers.

They were born in Germany. They had many siblings – that lived past childhood, at least – and were very smart scholars. They wrote hundreds of stories based on folktales they collected over the years until the died.

But that was pretty much all I knew. There was no trace of descendants except rumors saying that the eventually changed their family name and moved to the New World after a mass attack wiped out most of them. But the website I was on didn't say anything about what attacked them.

I sighed in frustration. This was getting me nowhere. But then I remembered something rather important. And I felt stupid for not remembering it before. I had a bunch of my mom's family journals.

I jumped from my bed and went to my closet. I had put them all in a decorated box. I pulled it out and pulled out my mom's old journal – the last one she had before she died. I opened it only to have a letter fall out. My breath fell short as I saw the name  _Jessica_  printed on it.

I picked it up and went to sit down on my bed. I sighed, unfolding the piece of paper.

_Dear Jessica,_

_Do you like your name? I hope so... Sorry, I never thought I'd be a seventeen year old mother writing to her baby in case she gets killed. But I can't ignore the fact that they're after us. Not anymore. I regret rejecting my family's way of life now because it's left me defenseless. But I'm going to fight like hell before I let anyone or anything hurt you._

It was a little disconcerting to notice how...  _like a teenager_  she sounded. But I had to remind myself that she was just a year older than me when she wrote this. It was also a relief. When you watch movies or TV or read books with things like letters from dead parents, they always sound so grown up and wise and you can't imagine living up to whatever they could expect from you. She didn't sound like she had a clue what she was doing. And that both ripped my heart out and made me feel better about myself. Because I didn't have a clue either.

_If you're reading this then that means I'm dead. And I'm so sorry for that. It makes me sick what that they of all people want to kill us and kill you. I can't even bear to write down their names or who they are because of my connection to them. And I know that must confuse you even more._

_Even though I'm not there for you now, I can still leave behind what you need. The Hales know exactly what to do and exactly what to tell you when you come searching for answers. Go to them. Sam and Fiona will answer any question you have, I promise._

I gasped when I read the name Hale. Derek seemed to have no clue what was happening to me. What was he hiding from me?

_But I did keep some things from them. Just for their protection. They know you're different and important. But they don't know why. For that I need you to read your great great grandmother Amalie's journal. That was the journal Aunt Wanda gave me when she wanted me to know the truth about what you would become. Just look there._

_I can't say I don't share the same worries as the people who want to hurt you. We worry you'll let the power consume you and become something too powerful. But I know you will stay true to yourself. I know the people who will raise you if I can't. They're good people and they will teach you right from wrong. I know you'll be a good person and not let your true power take over your heart._

_You must remember anchors. Find yours. It might not be what you expect it to be but I know you'll find who it is._

_When I was a little girl, I used to spin and spin and spin in circles until I got dizzy and fell down. I didn't have a fixed point to keep looking at so I didn't fall. I still did this when I grew older, but by then I had your father to catch me. And then he became the anchor in my life that kept me from falling. And then you were my anchor that kept me from falling. Just find the person who catches you – no matter what. You and your father were my anchor. Find yours and always believe in yourself._

_Before I go... I've never been very good at saying this, but I love you, Jessica. I love you with all my heart. I know I'm young to be a mother but if I had the chance, I would have made myself the best mother I could be for you. I will protect you with everything in me. And I pray I don't fail you._

_You and I, we're Grimm. No matter what's happened, that hasn't changed. We are Grimm and always will be Grimm. And Grimms don't give up. That could be your salvation or your downfall, but a Grimm doesn't give up. Don't ever give up my baby._

_And remember the code. Wir jagen die tiere, die unschuldiges blut schwappt._

_With all the love in my heart,_

_Your mother Tanya Sange._

I let out a little sob just as I heard a knock at my bedroom door. I called out, "Just a second!" and rushed to wipe the tears from my eyes and try to cover up the evidence. I ran to my bathroom to throw some cold water on my face before calling out, "Come in!"

I heard the door open and Isaac's voice, "Jessie?"

I gasped and turned around, "Isaac! I forgot you were coming..."

"Do you want me to leave?" He asked a little disappointed.

I shook my head instantly, "God no. I just look like a wreck right now."

"You look beautiful," he walked up to me and pulled my hair out of its bun, tangling it in his fingers before bringing his face close to mine, "You're always beautiful," and pressing his lips to mine.

I smiled as we broke the kiss, "You're sweet. But a liar."

"Whose jacket is that?"

I turned my head to see he was looking at Derek's leather jacket I just laid over my loveseat. "It's Baako's," I lied, "He doesn't have much use of it in Africa." I felt guilty for lying but the truth would just drudge up more questions than I could answer.

He came to sit next to me on my bed and asked, "How are you holding up?"

I took the letter from my nightstand, "I found this in my biological mom's journal. It was a goodbye letter to me while she was still pregnant."

"A goodbye letter?" Isaac asked surprised.

I nodded, looking over it again, "She said that they were after us."

"They?" Isaac thought out loud, "What does that mean?"

I sighed heavily, "It means my parents were murdered and they made it look like a car accident."

"And that someone tried to kill you," Isaac breathed out worriedly, sitting closer to me and wrapping me up in his arms. I laid my head in his shoulder.

"Why didn't they?" I asked, not really expecting an answer, "I mean—they staged the car accident after killing my parents, right? And I was just a baby, why didn't they kill me too? In the letter, my mom said they were after  _me_  specifically for a reason."

A beat passed, "Can I see the letter?"

I hesitated, part of me wanting to keep this piece of my mother to myself, but the other part wanted help with this mystery so I silently handed the letter to him and kept my eyes closed while he read it. I then felt him place the letter on my nightstand and rub his hand up and down my back in an attempt to sooth me. "It sounds like your mother was close to whoever it was."

I shrugged, sitting up, "I wish I could go to the Hales – but they were killed. And Derek didn't seem to know me. But... he must have been at least seven or eight when his parents knew mine. He had to have met them or something right?"

Isaac shrugged, "Maybe he didn't know much. I mean – you were an infant back then, he can't be expected to recognize you now."

I hummed, allowing that, "I guess – now that you mention it I never told him my biological parents' names."

"Then why don't you talk to him about it?" He suggested.

I nodded, "I will—later."

* * *

THIRD PERSON POV

"I have to go."

Marissa looked up from her spot at the counter to Derek getting up from her couch, "What? You're not in any condition to go anywhere."

He stood with ease and pulled up his shirt, revealing his wound to be completely healed. Marissa gasped, "What the hell?"

"Do I have your permission to go now, Doctor?" Derek asked her teasingly.

She gave him a look that said she was not impressed, "How is that possible? For that to be healed. You should be on life support—or—or dead. I mean – don't get me wrong – I'm glad you're not, but-"

"Calm down," Derek told her, coming to put a hand on her shoulder, "I'm okay, it doesn't matter how. So you don't have to worry. But I do have somewhere to be."

"What if whoever did that to you is still out there?" Marissa asked worriedly.

Derek shook his head, "I'll take care of it."

She didn't look like she believed him, "Can you please just tell me what is going on?"

Derek took his hand from his shoulder. He remembered her always wanting to know everything. But she used to be a lot pushier. He idly thought it might help to have someone to talk to about this stuff. But that person couldn't be her. If she knew too much then she would be in danger with no way to protect herself and he couldn't keep watch on her 24/7. No – he couldn't tell her anything about this world. Besides, it had been years since they even spoke to each other. She had obviously changed since High School as he had, but he didn't know how she changed.

So he shook his head and told her, "It's best that you don't know."

Marissa sighed, accepting that he can't just trust her with everything without earning his trust first, "Okay... but can you do me a favor?"

"What?" Derek sighed.

"Just come by – here or the bakery – to let me know you're okay," She requested, "Maybe we can even catch up."

He thought about it and decided he should have at least one person his age around, "Fine, warden, I'll check in."

Marissa playfully smacked his chest, "Smart ass."

He grinned at her.

* * *

JESSIE'S POV

"Are you okay?" Isaac asked me as we laid facing each other on top of my bed spread.

I shrugged, "At least I have something to write that history paper on. I'm a descendant of the Grimm Brothers."

"Always finding the silver lining," he murmured, kissing my forehead.

I breathed out, "Isaac?"

"Yeah?"

"What if whoever wanted me dead before... still wants me dead?" I asked, dreading the possibility. I sighed and shot out of the bed, going to pace my room, "What if they're still out there just waiting for me to come back here digging for answers?"

"It's been sixteen years, Jessie," He pointed out, "Maybe they thought you were dead already back then and somehow you weren't."

I shook my head, "If they were diabolical enough to stage a car accident and plot to kill an infant then they must have been smart enough to make sure I was dead. Something else must have happened which means they know I'm alive and they want me dead because of some power they thought I would have that I don't." I gasped, working myself up too much, "What if they kill my family? They killed my parents trying to get to me – they could do it again. What if—oh god, what if they go after you?"

Isaac jumped out of my bed and came to cup my face in his hands and force me to look at him, into his eyes. His black eye was faded now, almost healed. But his eyes looked fierce and protective, but he couldn't think to protect me from werewolves and hunters and alphas. "Look at me Jessie. Nothing is going to happen to you. Okay? I don't know what's going on but I know that I won't let anyone hurt you. I swear. I—I..."

"But Isaac you could be in danger just for being with me..." I whispered fearfully.

"I don't care," He hissed back, "I can't just walk away from you."

I shook my head, to clear it, and lurched up, crashing my lips to his.


	12. The Alpha

"Do you know what McCall is?" Jackson asked me just as I closed my locker.

"What are you talking about?" I asked him before I noticed how pale he was, "Jackson – are you okay? You don't look so good."

"I'm fine," He snapped, "I know what he is but do you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I tried to dissuade him, "Maybe you should go home, rest. I mean, I'm still a little shaken up after that night..."

His expression seemed to soften, "I'm fine, Jessie. I didn't even think about you, though – I feel bad now."

I shook my head, "Jackson you've saved me enough times to think about yourself for once."

"That used to be all I did," He frowned.

"Now it's different though, right?" I asked rhetorically, "So it doesn't matter."

"Hey," I heard behind me and saw Isaac shuffling his feet.

Jackson grimaced at him, "Hey Lahey," before looking down at me, "I'll see you later, Jessie."

"What did he want?" Isaac asked me as Jackson walked away and took his place leaning against the locker next to mine.

I shrugged, "Just to talk. Jackson and I kind of bonded over the fact that we're both adopted. He still struggles with it."

"Well as long as he's not messing with you," Isaac trailed off, taking my hand in his.

"I trust him – at least a little bit," I said, "He may be a jackass but he's not a horrible person."

"I'll take your word for it," He told me, pecking my lips before walking me to class.

* * *

"So Derek says you have to kill the one that bit you to cure yourself," I started summing up the information Stiles and Scott were giving me, "And you got a lead from a drawing Derek got from our Chemistry teacher that matches Allison's necklace. And Jackson knows you're a werewolf."

"Pretty much," Scott sighed, "And Allison told me not to talk to her. At all."

"Well now we gotta go with plan B," Stiles stated.

"What's plan B?" Scott asked.

"Just steal the stupid thing," Stiles said sternly.

"Couldn't we at least try getting to Harris?" Scott whined.

"My dad put him on 24 hour protective detail, okay?" Stiles shot down, "The necklace is all we got. Steal it."

"Oh my god," I droned, "I'll look at the necklace. What are you trying to get from it?"

"I don't know," Scott stammered, "See if anything's in it, on the back – anything."

"Okay," I murmured.

"Where's Isaac?" Stiles asked me as I ate my sandwich.

"Making up a test he missed yesterday," I mumbled as Scott suddenly jolted.

"What's wrong?" Stiles asked him.

Scott tried to speak without moving his lips too much, "Jackson's talking to me. He knows I can hear him." I tried to discreetly look around the cafeteria and spotted Jackson smirking in the corner. "Just talk to me. Act normal. Pretend that nothing's happening."

"Say something. Talk to me!"

Stiles gaped, stammering, "I can't think of anything. My mind's a complete blank."

"Your mind's blank?" Scott asked incredulously, "You can't think of something to say?"

"Just eat your food," I told him.

"Where the hell is he?" Scott asked, trying to look around.

"He's in the right corner behind me," I told him.

Scott glared at his tray, trying to ignore whatever Jackson was saying. "He's gonna take Allison away if I don't give him the bite."

"It wouldn't work if you did," I said out loud.

Scott's claws suddenly ripped into the table, splintering it under his elongated finger nails as he lost control. I looked to see Jackson's smirk grow as he tossed the apple he was biting and sauntered out of the cafeteria.

* * *

It was P.E and Allison and I were in the locker room. I was in shorts and a school tank top while she changed into a one piece bathing suit. I didn't swim – I didn't know how. So I would go into the weight room and mess around with the punching bag.

I then 'noticed' her necklace, "That's pretty. Where'd you get that?"

Alison looked down at it and smiled thankfully, "Thanks. My Aunt Kate gave it to me for my birthday. It's a family heirloom."

"I think I recognize it..." I lied, "Can I see it?"

She looked a little confused but didn't suspect anything, "Sure," she pulled it off her neck and handed it to me as she continued getting changed. She then closed her locker door and frowned, "Oh I forgot to put that in there," she pointed to the necklace.

"Don't worry I'll throw it in my locker," I told her.

She smiled, "Thanks. I gotta go. Jackson challenged me to a race. I'll see you after class."

"Have fun!" I told her as she walked off.

I took that chance to call Derek, "I've got the necklace. What am I looking for?"

"Look at the back of it," He told me, "There's gotta be something. An inscription, an opening, something."

I turned it around in my hand, "There's nothing. It doesn't open. There's nothing but the Argent Crest on it."

I heard Derek curse.

"Derek, I need to talk to you about some other stuff," I told him slowly.

"What is it?" He asked me in concern.

I sighed, "Well I don't have enough time to get into it right now. But can we find time to talk later?"

"Yeah," He told me, "We can talk after the game tonight, okay?"

"Thanks."

* * *

I quickly changed back into my normal clothes and gave Allison her necklace back after class. When I walked out of the locker room I saw Jackson walking out of the boys locker room. He smiled at me, "Hey – why weren't you swimming?"

I blushed in embarrassment, "I can't swim."

"Really?" He asked shocked, "How did you manage that?"

I shrugged, "I've always hated the water. When I was little I would scream blood murder whenever my parents tried to take me to the pool. So I never learned."

"Come on – I'll teach you," He offered but I shook my head.

"I really can't," I told him, "I tried once in middle school and freaked out. The entire school heard about it and stared at me for two months afterward."

"Well if you ever change your mind..." he let the sentence drop.

I nodded and smiled, "Thanks Jackson."

* * *

"Do you want to hang out before the game?" Isaac asked me at my locker just after school let out.

"I can't," I grimaced, "I'm stuck helping Stiles with math and then after the game..."

"After the game...?" Isaac repeated.

I sighed and closed my locker, "I'm taking your advice and talking to Derek about my parents."

"Really?" Isaac smiled gently, glad I was listening to him, "Are you sure?"

I nodded, "I think so. But do you want to come over tomorrow night? We can watch movies in my room."

"I'd love to," He kissed me.

* * *

I followed Stiles to his house. He said he had another plan. Since our teacher is unavailable and the necklace was a bust, he was going to try and figure out who sent that text to Allison luring her into the school.

We started for the stairs and almost got to his room when his dad walked up to us, "Hey Stiles. Hey Jessie."

"Hi Sheriff Stilinski," I greeted, walking into the room and seeing Derek.

Stiles walked in next saying, "Yo D—Derek!"

Stiles stumbled back into his doorway to block his Dad from seeing Derek. He dad asked, "What'd you say?" Stiles stammered back, "What? I said 'Yo—d—dad.'"

I walked over and sat on Stiles' bed as his dad answered, "Listen, I've got something I've got to take care of, but I'm gonna be there tonight. I mean, your first game."

"My first game," Stiles muttered back, "Guh, it's great. Awesome. uh—Good."

"I'm very happy for you. And I'm really proud of you," the sheriff admitted somewhat awkwardly. I could tell these guys didn't talk about their feelings very much.

"Thanks. Me too. I'm happy and proud—of myself."

I snorted at that and shared an amused glance with Derek. "So they're really gonna let you play, right?"

"Yeah, dad. I'm first line. Believe that?"

"I've very proud."

"Oh, me too. Again. I'm-"

"See you there."

"Take it easy," Stiles called after him. He closed the door and gaped at Derek, "What the hell are you trying to do, scare the shit out of me?"

"So Jessie said the necklace had nothing on it," Derek told him, ignoring the question and sitting next to me on the chair by the bed.

"But Stiles has another plan," I said.

The boy in question nodded, "The night we were trapped at the school, Scott sent a text to Allison asking her to meet him there."

"But you smashed Scott's phone," I pointed out, "So we have to figure out who sent that text."

* * *

"You want me to do what?" Danny asked incredulously.

I sat on Stiles bed doing the math homework. Stiles and Danny sat in front of his computer, "Trace a text."

Danny shook his head, "I came here to do lab work. That's what lab partners do."

"And we will," Stiles assured him, "...once you trace the text."

"And what makes you think I know how?"

Stiles looked sheepish, "I looked up your arrest report, so-"

"I was 13," Danny defended himself, "They dropped the charges."

"Bad ass," I whistled making Danny look at me with half amusement and half disdain. I giggled in response.

"Just-"

Danny interrupted Stiles, "No, we're doing lab work."

Stiles threw his pencil on the desk and cursed.

Danny noticed broody Derek in the corner and found it hard not to ogle his body, "Who's he again?"

Stiles looked between Danny and Derek, "Um, my cousin—Miguel."

I snorted behind my book.

"Is that blood on his shirt?" Danny asked, wary.

Stiles stuttered, "Yeah, he gets these horrible nosebleeds. Hey, Miguel," Derek looked up slowly. "I thought I told you you could borrow one of my shirts." Stiles gave him a very pointed look so Derek slammed his book closed and slowly stood at the dresser. Stiles turned back to Danny, "So anyway, I mean, we both know you have the skills to trace that text, so we should probably-"

Derek had looked for a shirt and interrupted, holding one up, "Stiles. This—no fit," he said stretching it.

"Then try something else on," Stiles said, noticing Danny trying hard not to stare at Derek. Stiles caught on to the leverage he had, "Hey, that one looks pretty good, huh?" He said as Derek slipped on a blue and orange striped shirt, "What do you think, Danny? The shirt."

Danny muttered, "It's—It's not really his color."

Derek grumbled and stripped off the shirt, looking for another.

I heard Stiles whisper to Danny, "You swing for a different team but you still play ball, don't you, Danny boy?"

Danny gave him an unimpressed look, "You're a horrible person."

"I know. It keeps me awake at night," He responded unconvincingly, "Anyway, about that text."

Danny sighed, looking at Derek again, "I'll need the ISP, the phone number, and the exact time of the text."

* * *

THIRD PERSON POV

Isaac closed and locked his bedroom door the second he got home. He sighed and sank down on his bed, not knowing what to do. His girlfriend had to be hiding something from him. She told him everything about her parents. She even showed him her mother's letter saying she had some kind of power. She had to trust him, didn't she? So why did he feel like she was lying about the jacket in her room and why Jackson was talking to her? It didn't make any sense.

The only thing he could think of was that she was protecting someone else. That was what he told himself.

* * *

"There," Danny said, getting everyone's attention, "The text was sent from a computer. This one."

Derek, Stiles and Jessie piled behind Danny. Derek asked, "Registered to that account name?" Jessie and Stiles gaped at the name, "No, no, no, no. That can't be right."

Jessie stared at the name;  **Melissa McCall.**

* * *

"Man, you're not gonna play if you're not here to start," Scott told Stiles over the phone. Stiles, Derek and Jessie sat in his jeep in front of the hospital.

"I know," Stiles sighed, "Look, if you see my dad, can you tell him—tell him I'll be there, I'll just be a little bit late, okay?"

Jessie took the phone from him, "And if Isaac asks where I am just make something up, okay?"

"Like what?"

Jessie sighed, running a hand through her hair, "I don't know – like 'maybe she's in the bathroom' or 'you can't expect to find one person in a mob of screaming fans'. Stuff like that. Change the subject. Whatever you have to do so he's no suspicious. I don't want him getting involved in this stuff."

"Okay—I'll think of something," Scott said.

"You do know you're not gonna make it to the start of that game," Derek told Jessie and Stiles.

"I know," Stiles sighed.

"And you didn't tell him about his mom, either," Derek stated.

Stiles shook his head, "Not till we find out the truth."

"One more thing," Derek grabbed the back of Stiles' head and slammed it into the steering wheel.

"Oh, god! What the hell was-" Stiles shouted.

Derek pointed at him accusingly, "You know what that was for. Go. Go!" Stiles and Jessie scrambled out of the jeep.

* * *

"It's the bite that does it," Jackson said suddenly next to Scott on the bench, "isn't it?"

Scott sighed, knowing there was nothing he could do to throw Jackson off, "Yes."

"Well, then, it's easy," Jackson smirked.

Scott looked at him like he was crazy, "No, it's not. I can't be the one to do it, okay? It has to be the Alpha."

"Well then get him to do it," Jackson said like it was obvious.

"I don't even know who he is," Scott told him, "Okay? Trust me. This whole thing is so much more complicated than you think. There's—there's hunters."

"What hunters?" Jackson asked.

"Werewolf hunters," Scott revealed.

* * *

Isaac looked around, looking for his girlfriend in the stands. He saw Allison and Lydia. And the Sheriff. But he couldn't find Jessie. Where was she?

* * *

Stiles was on the phone with Derek while he and Jessie looked for Scott's mom in the almost empty hospital, "Yeah, I said I can't find her."

"Look, ask for Jennifer. She's been looking after my uncle," Derek told him.

Jessie led Stiles into the room she knew quite well. But it was empty... Jessie looked at Stiles with dread, "Stiles he's not here."

Stiles spoke into the phone looking around, "He's not here either."

"What?" Derek asked in shock.

Jessie snatched the phone, "He's not in here, Derek. He's gone."

Derek cursed as his eyes widened, "Jessie—get out of there right now – it's him! He's the Alpha! Get out!"

Jessie gasped as Peter Hale suddenly stood in front of her, very much awake, "Derek..."

"You must be Stiles," Peter drawled before looking at Jessie, "I'm very grateful to all the time you've spent reading to me – but as you can see, it's not necessary anymore."

"Derek..." Jessie whispered in fear.

"What are you doing here?" Jennifer suddenly appeared in the doorway, saying the words she was expected to say but not saying them as a concerned nurse, but a malicious psycho bitch, "Visiting hours are over."

Stiles gasped and stammered looking between Jennifer, Peter and Jessie, "You—and him." He pointed to the nurse and the Alpha, "You're—you're the one who—Oh, my god, I'm gonna die."

Jessie looked between Jennifer and Peter in fear when Derek suddenly appeared, elbowing the nurse in the face and knocking her out.

Peter tiled his head and tsked, "That's not nice. She's my nurse."

"She's a psychotic bitch helping you kill people," Derek stated, before looking at Jessie and Stiles, "Get out of the way."

Stiles blanched and Jessie grabbed him, making them crouch on the floor and press against the wall.

"You think I killed Laura on purpose?" Peter asked incredulously, "One of my own family?"

Derek growled, his eyes flashing blue and his fangs elongating as he lunged at his non-catatonic uncle. Peter easily grabbed him and smashed him into the wall of the hallway. Stiles grabbed Jessie's hand and dragged her away.

Peter slammed Derek on the ground and grabbed his throat, dragging him down the hallway as he spoke, "My mind, my personality were literally  _burned_  out of me. I was driven by pure instinct." He dropped Derek and bent to get something out of Jennifer's pocket.

Derek shuffled on his feet, "You want forgiveness?" He punched Peter right in the jaw but it didn't phase him. He grabbed Derek's collar and headbutted him.

"I want understanding," Peter kicked Derek in the chest making him slammed and slide down the hallway floor. "Do you have any idea – what it was like for me during those years? Slowly healing, cell by cell. Even more slowly coming back to consciousness. Yes, becoming an Alpha, taking that from Laura pushed me over a plateau in the healing process. I can't help that. I tried to tell you what was happening. I tried to warn you."

Jessie and Stiles crouched behind the nurses station. Suddenly Derek slammed into the separating window, glass shattering around them. Jessie whimpered into her hand. She peered around to where Derek was crawling and saw Peter follow. She chose this chance to get up and run behind him. Stiles called her back but she ignored him and was about to jump Peter when he turned around and grabbed her shoulders, slamming her gently into the wall.

He tsked her, "Jessie—I really don't want to hurt you..."

Jessie suddenly realized something, "You really don't do you?"

"What are you talking about?" Derek asked as he spat blood on the floor.

"You've had many chances to kill me or turn me if you wanted to," Jessie said out loud, as she really started to think about it, "In the video store, that night at school. It would have been easy. You literally had me right in your claws but you didn't do anything."

"You care about her," Derek caught on.

Peter rolled his eyes, "Don't you have a game to get to?"

Jessie looked down to her shoulders where his hands held her, "Does it look like I'm going anywhere?"

Peter slowly let his grip loosen from her shoulders until he let her go. He paused, pulling her blouse collar over to see he had bruised her. He pursed his lips, "You should go."

"I'm not going anywhere," Jessie said, looking at Derek.

"Go Jessie," Derek told her, "I'll be okay."

"You don't look like it," Jessie said.

"Please," Derek pleaded.

* * *

"So what are you gonna do?" Scott asked with dread.

Jackson smirked and pretended to think about it, "Well, I'm gonna give you a chance to give me what I want. What's three days, huh? 72 hours. That's all you get, Scott."

"What if I can't?" Scott asked, appalled at the time limit.

"Oh, come on, McCall. That's not a winning attitude," Jackson patronized.

"Scott," the werewolf heard behind him and inwardly groaned when he saw Isaac coming to sit next to him, "Have you seen Jessie? I can't find her anywhere."

Scott gaped for a moment as he mind went blank of all the proposed excuses Jessie gave him. "Don't worry she's here. You can't expect to find one person in a mob of screaming fans."

Isaac sighed, "I just worry about her. She seems like she's hiding something."

Scott gulped – this wasn't good. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

Isaac spared a glance at Jackson, "I see her with him a lot."

Scott glanced at Jackson and looked back at Isaac ready to save Jessie's relationship. Someone had to be happy – might as well be her. "Don't worry about Jackson, Isaac. You should hear Jessie talk about you dude – it's like you're all that matters. You and her are solid."

Isaac slowly grinned, "She talks about me?"

Scott looked down and smiled, looking back up to his fellow teammate, "Yes. She really likes you, Isaac."

"Thanks, man," Isaac told her.

Scott's ears piqued when he heard Allison's aunt ask Chris, "Chris, remember how we were talking about a second beta—a younger one?"

"Yes."

"Can you get turned by a scratch?" Kate asked.

Scott gulped, looking at her and following her eyes to Jackson as the lacrosse team huddled up.

"If the claws go deep enough. Maybe."

"Wonder how deep those went," Kate murmured, "There's something else that's been nagging me."

"What is it?"

"Allison was telling me about her friend, Jessie something. She got caught by the ankle that night in the High School, deep wounds, they were worried she was gonna bleed out."

"And?"

"And then two days later she's walking around—no limp, no nothing. Just fine."

"It healed?" Chris asked.

"Wonder how it healed so quickly."

Scott blanched—they thought Jackson or Jessie were the second beta. This was not good.

"All right, take the field! Let's go!" Coach yelled.


	13. Nagging Insecurities

I made it to the game with Stiles in time for the second half. Stiles didn't get to play the game after all. But the team still won and were going to make it to State. The lacrosse team chanted 'state' all the way into the locker room when the game ended. Stiles followed them in. When I spotted Isaac pulling up the rear I ran up to him, "Isaac!" He turned and smiled upon seeing me and I threw my arms around his neck, crashing my lips to his.

He smiled, pulling out of the kiss and leaning his forehead against mine, "Did you like the game?"

I shrugged, "I liked you."

"I barely played," He pointed out.

I shrugged again, "Doesn't matter. I always like you."

He smiled, pressing his lips to mine again, before regretfully saying he had to go change. I told him I'd wait here for him and we'd go make out under the bleachers. He simply rolled his eyes before walking off after his team mates.

"Cute couple," I heard behind me.

I turned to see Allison with her father and Aunt. It was Kate who made the comment. "Hey."

"Hey," Allison greeted me, "Did you enjoy the game?"

I nodded, "I stuck to the front most of the time."

Allison nodded and smiled, accepting the answer, "Hey are you free tomorrow?"

I shook my head with a frown, "Sorry, Isaac and I are hanging out and then I'm looking for a gym."

"You a real fitness nut?" Kate asked wryly.

"I learned a bunch of defense skills and I want to keep in shape. After what happened that night at the school I just, wanted to be able to take care of myself," I explained.

"I can dig that," Kate told me, "If you ever need a teacher-"

"I'm sure she can handle herself," Chris said, putting a hand on his sister's shoulder.

Kate looked down at my ankle, "Allison told me how the animal got your ankle."

I peered down and nodded uncomfortably, "Yeah – we thought it was a lot worse because of the blood, but it wasn't that deep and it's fine now."

"I see," Kate murmured. She then smiled deviously, "It healed quite nicely."

"Well we should head home," Chris intervened, "Good to see you Jessie."

"Good to see you too," I muttered.

Allison hugged me goodbye, "Text me okay?"

I nodded, "I'll talk to you soon."

As they left Isaac walked into my view. My confused attitude was immediately replaced by a happy one when I saw his face. I couldn't help myself from kissing him again. "Is something wrong?" He asked me.

I shook my head, giving him a confused look, "Where'd you get that?"

He shrugged uneasily, "You've just seemed wrong and now you seem a little... enthusiastic."

I smirked, leaning closer to him so I could whisper seductively, "Stay tuned... and I can show you how enthusiastic... I can be." I smirked wider when I saw him gulp.

* * *

"So where are you and Isaac going?" My mom asked me as I got ready in my bathroom. I was curling my hair.

"He said he wanted to surprise me," I grinned, teasing my curls.

Mom grinned, "That's so sweet of him."

I smiled giddily, feeling butterflies of anticipation in my stomach, "I can not believe how much I like this boy, mom."

She smiled, gently taking the curling from my hair to fix some of them in the back, "He's a sweet boy. A little awkward but that just means he cares about what your family thinks of him. Have you told him about some of the stuff with your biological parents?"

"I showed him the letter," I told her, "And he offered to help me figure this out."

"Well we'll all help you figure this out, honey," She told me, putting the curling down and handing me the hairspray, "Now what are you going to wear?"

* * *

THIRD PERSON POV

Jackson raced his Porsche in circles, trying to get rid of his pent up frustration and energy. He wasn't the star anymore. He wasn't the hero and he wasn't the most popular guy in school. Suddenly, his car stopped working, choking and spluttering before coming a halt. Jackson cursed, getting out of his car and slamming his hands on the top of it.

"Car trouble?" He turned to see Chris Argent getting out of his black SUV.

Jackson smiled uneasily and shrugged, "It's okay. I'm just gonna call a tow truck."

Chris walked toward him, "Oh, I know a few things about cars. Could be something simple."

"I don't know. I mean, it's a pretty expensive car and they pull all this warranty crap if you do your own repairs, right?" Jackson tried to get rid of him.

But Chris wasn't dissuaded, "Well—I won't tell if you won't. It's Jackson, right? Come here," he led the teen to the hood, "I'll show you what to look for." Jackson opened the hood and peered in. Chris suddenly put his hand on Jackson's neck, "Oh, sorry."

"What?" Jackson asked.

"Your neck," Chris explained, "You hurt yourself?"

"No," Jackson shot out, nervous, "I mean, it's just—just a scratch."

"Well," Chris mulled over, "It looks like more than a scratch. Kinda looks like claw marks. You all right?"

"Yeah, look," Jackson stood away from his grasp, facing the older man, "I'm just gonna call for a tow truck, okay?"

"Is there any reason you're so reluctant to tell me what it was that did that?" Chris asked.

Jackson was saved from answering when Stiles' jeep pulled up, "What's up?"

"Is everything okay?" Scott asked smugly.

Chris grimaced before plastering on a fake friendly smile, "Hey, Scott. Your friend, here, was having car trouble. We're just taking a look."

"There's a shop right down the street. I'm sure they have a tow truck," Scott informed them.

"Yeah. You want a ride?" Stiles offered, "Come on, Jackson. You're way to pretty to be out here all by yourself."

Jackson nodded nervously and started to get into the jeep when his car suddenly roared to life. The boys turned to see Chris putting the hood down and grinning, "Hey, boys. Told you I knew a few things about cars." The hunter walked back to his SUV, driving away.

Jackson glared at Scott and Stiles as they exited the jeep, "What, are you following me, now?"

"Yes, you stupid freaking idiot," Scott glared back, "You almost gave away everything right there."

"What are you talking about?" Jackson asked, exasperated.

"He thinks you might be the second beta," Scott explained.

Jackson gave him a look that said he had no idea what the hell 'the second beta' was, "What?"

"He thinks you're me!" Scott shouted, getting angry and smashing his fist into the side of Stiles' jeep.

"Dude, my jeep," Stiles whined.

"I could hear your heart beating from a mile way—literally!" Scott said, "Now he thinks that there's something wrong, and now I have to keep an eye on you so he doesn't kill you too!" Jackson glared and grabbed Scott, pushing him into the car.

"Okay, how about we step away from Stiles' jeep," Stiles suggested, but he was ignored.

"This is your problem," Jackson spat, "Not mine, okay? I didn't say anything, which means you're the one that's gonna get me killed. Okay, this is your fault."

"They haven't confirmed that it's you yet, dipshit," Stiles snapped, "They're leaning more towards Jessie. And no offense, but I'm okay if they think it's you rather than her."

Jackson's fist unclenched from Scott's shirt as he looked at Stiles in shock and concern, "What do they want with Jessie?"

"That thing that attacked us in the high school was the Alpha," Scott told him, "Remember how he got his claws in her ankle?"

Jackson nodded, "So?"

"So it's healed completely now – way to quickly," Stiles said, the dread of the situation seeping into his tone, "If they think that scratches like the marks on your neck can turn someone, then they definitely think Jessie could be a werewolf considering how deep her wounds were and now they're suddenly healed—almost supernaturally fast."

"Well..." Jackson tried to grasp the situation, "Is she...?"

Scott shook his head, "The full moon already passed and nothing happened. We don't know how she healed so quickly – from an Alpha no less – but she's not a werewolf."

"But I have a feeling Kate Argent won't wait to find proof," Stiles grumbled.

"When they come after you – or her – I won't be able to protect you," Scott yelled.

"Then get me what I want," Jackson demanded, "Then I can protect myself and help protect her!"

"All it does is make things worse!" Scott shouted.

"Oh, really? You can hear anything you want and run faster than humanly possible. Sounds like a real hardship, McCall," Jackson said sarcastically.

"Yeah," Scott agreed, "I can run really fast now – except half the time, I'm running away from people trying to KILL ME! And I can hear things like—like my girlfriend telling people that she doesn't trust me anymore right before breaking up with me! I'm not lying to you! It ruins your life."

Jackson shook his head and glared, "It ruined your life. You had all the power in the world, and you didn't know what to do with it. It's like you turned 16 and someone bought you a Porsche when they should have started you off with a nice little Honda. Me? I drive a Porsche."

* * *

Isaac nervously laid his bike on the side of his girlfriend's house, wiping his sweating palms on his jeans before going to knock on the door. The door opened to reveal Paula, Jessie's mom, who smiled warmly, "Isaac, right on time. Come in, Jessie's just finishing getting ready."

"Thanks," Isaac said awkwardly, walking into the home and pretending to look around.

"So am I allowed in on the surprise?" Paula asked with a teasing grin just as Jessie's little sister, Bethany walked in.

Isaac blushed, "I don't know... I'm worried it might be a little too weird..."

"Knowing you I'm sure it'll be the sweetest thing in the world," Paula smiled comfortingly, "You've got to be the sweetest boyfriend Jessie's ever had, the way you worry about her. Granted she's only had two – but still."

Isaac smiled thankfully, "Well... I wanted to take her to the graveyard. There's a garden toward the back that no one knows about. And that's where we first officially met. I packed a pic nic."

"Awwww, see?" Paula smiled, "I knew it was going to be sweet."

Isaac blushed again as he heard footsteps again and looked up to see Jessie descending the staircase. She was beautiful, so much she took Isaac's breath away. She wore a knotted lacy off-white dress with a darker cardigan and brown sandals. Her hair fell down in curls pass her shoulders and she wore pink rose studs in her ears and a matching ring.  **[Pic on profile]**

"Wow..." He breathed.

Jessie grinned, "Just the reaction I was looking for." She walked up to him and kissed his cheek, making him sweat a little more.

"Here," Paula said, handing a set of car keys to Jessie, "Take my car."

"Why?" Jessie asked confused.

Paula shrugged innocently, "It's more durable."

Jessie shrugged it off, "Okay, thanks." She took Isaac's hand and walked out the door. Isaac grabbed the basket from the floor next to his bike and they jumped into her mom's Ford. Isaac got into the driver's seat and handed his grandpa's handkerchief to Jessie, "Put this on please?"

"Seriously?" Jessie asked him, gingerly taking the cloth from his hands, "It's that important of a surprise?"

Isaac shrugged self consciously, "Please?"

"You're lucky I love surprises," Jessie told him, smiling and folding the handkerchief to wrap around her eyes.

Isaac pulled out of the driveway and started for the cemetery. He looked over at her briefly, marveling in how he could get such a wonderful and beautiful girl to want him. He grimaced as he remembered what Jackson talked to him about after the lacrosse game.

_Flashback_

_"Hey Lahey!"_

_Isaac turned to see Jackson sauntering up to him with a smirk, "Got big plans with Jessie this weekend?"_

_"What's it to you?" Isaac asked uneasily, just wanting to get back to his girlfriend._

_Jackson shrugged nonchalantly, "Nothing. Just wondering when she's gonna get tired of you. It's only a matter of time."_

_"Piss off, Whittemore," Isaac started to walk away but Jackson roughly grabbed his shoulder._

_"You know I'm right," he taunted, "You see, a girl like Jessie – smart, classy, confident – she can have any guy she wants. Girls like her have needs and wants. And Jessie needs a real man to satisfy these needs and wants – whether they be jewelry, nice restaurants or... other desires. Soon enough she'll realize you can't afford to give her what she wants and move on to someone who can."_

_"Like you?" Isaac spat._

_Jackson smirked, "I can afford anything."_

Isaac sighed and shook himself out of it as he parked the car and got out. He opened Jessie's door and swiftly swung her into his arms bridal style. She giggled, "What's this?"

"We've still got a little walk," He told her as he handed her the picnic basket, "Don't want you to guess while we get there."

Jessie smiled and laid her head into the crook of his neck. He could feel her breath on his skin and almost shivered at the sensation. He started the trek through the graveyard on a dirt path toward the back. He passed a few large trees that served to hide the garden from view.

They arrived to the opening of wood by a small little creek. Isaac set Jessie on her feet and told her, "Stay there," gently taking the basket from her hand and opening, pulling out a thick blanket and spreading it on the grass in front of the creek. He set the basket on the corner of the blanket and stood next to it, "Okay, open your eyes."

Jessie opened her eyes and gasped, "Oh my god," the sight was beautiful. There were purple, pink and blue flowers with fresh cut grass and a small creek with a vast forest of trees on the other side. "This is amazing.."

Isaac smiled, proud of himself, "Part of work in the graveyard is maintaining this place. Not a lot of people know it's here because it can be hard to find. I thought since we met in the cemetery that this might be a good place to have a date."

Jessie smiled widely, feeling a fury of butterflies erupt in her stomach and warmth spread through her body, "This is perfect, Isaac."

He nervously gestured to the blanket, "Shall we?"

Jessie smiled and nodded, going to sit on the blanket. Isaac sat next to her and opened the basket, "I have ham and cheese-"

"My favorite," Jessie interjected with a smile. He remembered.

He nodded and smiled, "And roast beef for me. I also packed strawberries and-"

"Chocolate?" Jessie interrupted with a cheeky grin.

Isaac huffed playfully, "Am I that predictable?"

"That depends on whether or not I'm right."

Isaac muttered something under his breath and pulled out a bar of chocolate.

Jessie laughed in victory and leaned forward to kiss him, "Thank you."

"Let's eat."

* * *

"Do you want me to leave you alone for a few minutes?" Scott asked Allison as she sat next to him on his bed.

"Why would I want that?" She asked confused.

Scott shrugged, "I don't know. It's just that, um—you came in here and said that you wanted to talk, and we've been sitting here for like ten minutes – and you haven't said anything yet, and it's starting to freak met out."

Allison smiled uneasily, "Sorry. It's a little hard to start. This is going to sound really ridiculous. Like, I—I guess I just... I don't want you to laugh at me."

"I would never laugh at you," Scott assured her.

"It's about my family," She told him.

"Okay."

Allison sighed, "A little while ago, I caught them in a lie. A small one. When my aunt first arrived, she had car trouble, and – My dad said it was a flat tire, but she said she needed a jump start."

"Maybe it was just a little miss communication," Scott suggested.

"Yeah, that was what I thought too," Allison admitted, growing more and more somber, "And then I found glass on her car, like her window had been smashed in. I've been overhearing some really strange conversations. I think some of it has to do with Derek and—and Jessie..."

Scott's eyes widened, "Jessie? What have you heard about her?"

Tears started to grow in her eyes and anyone could tell she was starting to get scared, "I don't know, really I've just heard my dad and Kate talking about that night in the school and I've heard Jessie's name. Kate seems fixated on her healed ankle. I tried to talk to Jessie about it. But she's never alone and she said she's going on a date with Isaac so I don't know..."

"Allison this could be really important," Scott told her.

Allison took a shaky breath, "I'm scared that Jessie might be in dang-"

Suddenly the door to his room opened revealing Melissa McCall all dolled up, "Hey, Scott, I'm coming home late tonight-" she broke off when she saw Scott and Allison on his bed. She looked sheepish as the teens stood to gape at her, "What? What—what's wrong? Is it—is it my hair, makeup?"

"No," Scott trailed off, "No, nothing. You look beautiful."

Allison smiled brightly at the nurse, "You look amazing."

"Amazing," Scott murmured, "Why do you look amazing?"

Melissa seemed a little flustered, "Because, amazingly, I'm having dinner for once with a member of the male gender who's over the age of 16."

Scott rolled his eyes playfully before asking, "Who?"

"Uh, it's a medical rep that came into the hospital, today," Melissa told him, "Yeah, we just kinda started talking and the next thing I know, I'm saying yes to dinner and—I'm really hating myself for skipping the gym last week."

"What—medical rep?"

Then the doorbell rang and Melissa jolted, looking slightly panicked, "That medical rep. And, uh, I'm not—I'm not ready. I'm not ready. I'm not done, I'm not ready," She started to walk out the hallway before turning back, "If you could please just get the door and talk with him, okay, just—Be nice."

Scott walked downstairs and opened the door, slowly, feeling something was wrong. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in fear when he saw Peter Hale at the door, scar-free.

"Hello there."

* * *

Jessie and Isaac were laughing uncontrollably. Jessie tried to control her giggles, "I'm not kidding. Baako seriously snuck into his room and put bleach in his shampoo. People called him Lance Bass for weeks until he convinced his parents to let him dye it back."

Isaac barked another laugh, "Remind me never to mess with your brother. But it does serve that punk right for cheating on you."

She shrugged, calming down, "He was just a boy. It was middle school. People do stupid things when they're young."

Isaac shook his head, "I'm glad you moved passed it."

Jessie laid back on the blanket, sighing in contentedness, "Me too. Come here," she beckoned him down with her finger. Isaac gulped a little bit and leaned down to press his lips to hers. They smiled into the kiss as Isaac intertwined the fingers of his right hand with her left one and rested them above her head. Isaac laid on his side next to her, pressing closer as she opened her mouth to him. They battled for dominance but eventually he won.

Isaac propelled his body on top of hers and rested on his elbows above her. He let his lips drag across her jaw and down her neck, kissing and nipping gently. Jessie's breath hitched when she felt his lips on the skin behind her ear. Isaac grinned into her as he let his left hand trail down her side to the hem of her dress, "Is this okay?"

Jessie looked down before looking up into his eyes, "Depends on what you're doing."

Isaac kept their joined hands joined as his other hand just barely lifted the bottom of her dress, "I want to do something for you."

Jessie simply kissed his lips before his head traveled south.

" _Oh..._ "

* * *

Derek was ready to get Jackson what he wanted. But he had to do something first.

The sign on the bakery still said open but from the glance at the hours he could see that they were closing in ten minutes. The door dinged as he entered and he heard Marissa's voice, "Give me a second—I've got to warn you though, we're closing soon."

"I won't be long," Derek called back with a smirk.

He heard her drop something and smirked even more. She then appeared behind the counter, walking around it to go to him, "You actually came."

"Told you I would," He answered, "Had to check in – as you see I'm perfectly fine."

"That's debatable," Marissa muttered, taking him in, "Are you gonna tell me what happened?"

"It's still best that you don't know," Derek told her a little reluctantly, "You saw what happened to me. What if that happened to you?"

"I have a feeling that was an isolated incident, otherwise you wouldn't be here," She told him, "But I get it."

"Get what?" Derek asked, not comfortable with her tone.

"I know how after the fire you shut people out," Marissa said gently, "It's understandable, I did the exact same thing when my dad died. It took forever to really let people in at all or trust them because the feeling that everybody is just going to eventually leave you never really goes away after that."

Derek started getting really uncomfortable, because she hit the nail right on the head, "You don't know anything about me."

"I'm not pretending to," She shrugged, giving him a look that made him feel like a puppy with a broken leg, "And I can't equate what I went through to what you went through. But I wish I had someone who simply listened to me back then instead of just telling me it would be okay. So... if you ever want to talk, I'm here. We can get to know each other again."

When Derek couldn't think of anything to say, he just said, "I have to go."

"Come over again," Marissa offered, "Just to talk—about whatever. I stay at least two hours after closing so you can come when no one's here."

"I can't," Derek evaded, opening the door.

"Tomorrow," Marissa spoke to his back, "I won't be offended if you don't show."

* * *

Peter gazed at Melissa, 'marveling' at her, "I was just noticing that you have the most incredible skin. It's flawless."

Melissa faltered under the power of his gaze, "That's a new one on me."

"Do you mind?" He asked hushed in the moment as he caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers.

Melissa was so caught up in the moment that she dropped her phone. She blushed, "Oh. Sorry." She bent down to pick it up. Peter prepared for his strike, his fangs elongating and his eyes growing red. Suddenly the car was propelled forward as someone rear-ended them. Melissa cursed and got out of the car, going to inspect the damage, "Oh, are you kidding me? Stiles!"

Stiles stumbled out of his jeep behind them and awkwardly greeted her, "Wow, this is—this is just crazy. What a coincidence, huh?"

Melissa tutted, "Ha ha," sarcastically.

Peter smirked looking around, "Nicely done, Scott. Nicely done."

* * *

"Uh, uh— _oh_  – Isaac!" Jessie moaned out and panted after her high hit it's peak and she started to come down.

Isaac slipped her panties back on and laid next to her on the blanket as she stared up at the night sky, "Good?"

She laughed breathlessly and looked at him before crashing her lips to his. She pulled away slowly, "Fantastic."

Isaac smiled, proud of himself. Take that, Jackson.

"Isaac," Jessie sighed out, "This night has been so perfect. This place, this night... I'm so lucky to have you."

Isaac kissed her forehead, "Not many girls have a boyfriend that'll go down on her."

Jessie blushed and dug her face into his chest, "I don't mean that—dork. I mean how thoughtful and sweet and caring you are. You take care of me and I love—that."

Isaac hugged her to his body and groaned, "It's getting late. I should get you home, shouldn't I?"

She nodded regretfully, "Sorry to say so. But I'll see you at school."

* * *

Peter smirked as Melissa argued with Stiles over his neck, "I know you're there, Scott, and I'm impressed. It's too bad most teenagers aren't that smart. It's like that one on the lacrosse team—Jackson. Thinks he knows all about us. You know how they say knowledge is power. Not in his case."

Scott frowned into the street, "Jackson. Oh, no."

* * *

"I had such a wonderful time, Isaac," Jessie smiled up at her boyfriend on the porch of her house, "Are you sure you don't want me to just drive you home? It's late and I don't like you riding your bike alone at night."

"I'll be alright," He assured her, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her soundly on the lips. He pulled away and whispered, "Goodnight."

* * *

"There's no one else here," Jackson realized with dread pooling in his stomach.

Derek shook his head.

"And no one else coming?"

Derek shook his head.

Jackson stumbled back against the stairs of the Hale house as he saw Derek's nails elongate, "No, please—please don't, okay? I'll shut up—I'll never say another word again," Tears built in his eyes as his voice cracked from fear, "I'll leave Scott alone. Please, you can't do this! Please! I—I don't deserve it."

"I think you do," Derek growled threateningly.

Jackson shook his head desperately, "N-no!"

"Look around you!" Derek raised his voice, "Wouldn't there be someone here trying to save you? There's no one here."

Jackson had to agree. No one cared and that made a icy hot take over his heart.

"No one cares that you drive an expensive car. No one cares that you have perfect hair, and no one cares that you're captain of the lacrosse team."

"Can't say I disagree with you," Jessie's voice was heard as the girl herself showed up, still in her date clothes. She jumped in front of Jackson, "But he does have some redeeming qualities. And you're wrong, Derek, people care about him. I'm here and that enough proves you wrong."

"I'm here too," Scott's voice was heard. The beta stood at the top of the stairs.

Derek glared at Jessie, "Get out of my way."

Jessie shook her head slowly, "No."

"Fine," Derek snarled, "I'll kill you too."

Jackson grabbed Jessie's hand in front of him in fear and started to tug her back but she didn't budge. "No you won't," She told Derek confidently.

Derek raised a clawed hand but hesitated. His ears picked up something and he suddenly shouted, "Cover your eyes."

Jessie slapped a hand over Jackson's eyes and closed hers tightly as they heard the whistle of an arrow in the air and then I hit the wall, light exploding from it and disorienting Scott and Derek. Jessie pulled Jackson up from the stairs and pushed him down the hallway, "Go Jackson! Run!"

He scrambled away, pulling on her hand, "Come on, Jessie!"

She looked back at Scott and Derek when Derek yelled, "Go! Go, Jessie, Run!"

She sighed and ran away with Jackson into the woods. She followed her feelings and eventually they got to Jackson's backyard. Jackson looked between her and his house in shock, "How'd you know where I live?"

Jessie groaned, not knowing how to explain it, "I didn't. It's—it's very complicated. I get these 'feelings' and they're always right."

"What?"

Jessie sighed, "Like tonight I had a feeling you were in trouble and it led me to Derek's house. And then I just followed what my gut was telling me and we ended up here."

"So what? You're psychic?" Jackson asked.

Jessie shrugged, "Or just a freak. I don't know what I am."

"You're not a freak," Jackson snorted, "There's werewolves. There must be something you fit into."

"I don't know," Jessie sighed, "And don't listen to what Derek was saying. People do care about you Jackson."

"Thanks," He said quietly.

"I need to go check on Scott. I have a feeling he needs someone right now." She had turned to start walking for the vets office but she heard Jackson call out, "Why him?"

She turned around and looked at Jackson confused, "What?"

"Why Lahey?" He asked, "I mean – we met first and—I thought..."

"Jackson," Jessie cut him off softly, "Don't do that. I love you as my friend. It's not about who got to me first or who's stronger or more manly or anything like that—I don't care about that. It's about heart. And I'm not saying you don't have one. It's just buried under a steal wall you won't let anyone get passed."

Jackson snorted in disbelief, "And Lahey lets you in? You let him in?"

Jessie nodded, "Our walls are just paper in comparison. Goodnight Jackson."

* * *

Scott groaned on Deaton's operating table, "Stop."

Deaton whispered to him, "It's all right, Scott. You're gonna be all right."

Scott felt someone holding his hand and turned his head to see Jessie. She smiled weakly at him. He tried to sit up but her hands pushed him back down, "Not yet."

"Where am I?" Scott groaned.

"You're fine," Deaton told him, "And I've given you something that should... speed up the healing process."

"But you're a vet," He groaned.

"That's very true," Deaton smirked, "and 90 percent of the time, I'm mostly treating cats and dogs."

"Mostly?" Jessie raised her eyebrow.

"Mostly."


	14. Formal Dramatics

"Deaton, someone's at the door," Jessie said. He nodded and walked toward the front.

Scott groaned and woke up. Jessie smiled down at him, "Hey. How do you feel?"

"Like I got shot," Scott croaked, making Jessie smiled and roll her eyes.

"I'm sorry, but we're..." They heard Deaton cut off, "We're closed."

Then they heard Peter's voice, making Jessie gasp quietly. "Hi there. I'm here to pick up."

"I'm not sure I remember you dropping off," Deaton stated, "My receptionist is a very organized young girl, there'd be some record."

Jessie smiled wryly at the indirect compliment but still took Scott's hand in hers for comfort with a man she cared for that turned out to be a psycho just outside looking for him. "This one wandered in on its own."

"Even if he did, I'm afraid I can't help you – we're closed."

"Well, I think you can make an exception this time—Don't you?" Peter suggested threateningly.

"I'm sorry. That's not going to be possible. Maybe you could come back during regular hours."

"You have something of mine," Peter growled, "I'm here to collect it."

"Like I said—We're closed," Deaton repeated.

There was a pause and then the teens heard Peter chuckle, "Mountain ash. That's an old one."

"Deaton made that gate out of mountain ash," Jessie whispered to Scott, "That's why it's always wide open when you're coming in. It keeps supernatural things away."

"Let me be as clear as possible," Deaton started slowly, enunciating, "We—are—closed."

Scott gasped as he heard something and Jessie asked, "What is it, Scott?"

"He's going after Allison."

* * *

"Come on, Derek," Kate goaded to the beta chained up on the rusty metal bars in her dungeon as she rifled through his things, "He killed your sister. Now—either you're not telling me because, well, you want to kill him yourself, or for some reason—you're protecting him." She waltz up to him and grabbed his chin, holding up his drivers license next to his face, "Look at that sour face. I bet you always used to get people coming up to you saying, 'Smile, Derek. Why don't you smile more?'" She smiled walking behind the light blazing into Derek's face, "Don't you just wanna kick those people in the face?"

"I can think of one," Derek growled at her.

"Promise?" Kate teased, "'Cause if I thought you'd be that much fun—I'd let you go."

She walked back to the table with Derek's jacket on it and started scrolling through his phone, "All right, let's see. Nothing, nothing, nothing... wait a minute..."

Derek's ears twitched when Kate said, "You have that Jessie girl's number. Funny how she seems to have everybody wrapped around her little finger and all jumping at the chance to die for her..."

Derek tried not to react – driven by instinct to protect this girl he began to think of as pack.

"So what is she Derek?" Kate interrogated, walking up to him and looking up with a malicious smile, "Another beta? A siren? A fuck buddy?"

Derek growled deep in his chest, but didn't move, "Are you gonna torture me? Or are you just gonna talk me to death, huh?"

"Oh, sweetie," Kate cooed, "I don't wanna torture you. I just—wanna catch up. Remember all the fun we had together?"

"Like the time you burned my family alive?" He snarled at her.

"No... I was thinking more about the—hot, crazy sex we had," She grinned, pressing her chin to his chest, "But the fire thing. Yeah, that was fun too."

Derek shot out at her, growling menacingly.

But Kate just laughed, "I love how much you hate me." She grinned deviously, "Remember how this felt?" she dipped her head down and licked up his chest, making him growl ferociously, eyes turning blue and teeth sharpening.

Kate was undeterred as he couldn't get out of the bindings, "Sweetheart, I really don't want to torture you." The large metal door behind her unlatched and slid open as she turned to look at the bald man in a black leather jacket, "But he does."

* * *

"So you're not allowed to go to Winter Formal?" I asked Scott.

He groaned as we walked down the hall, "I'm failing three classes and it was either this or no more lacrosse."

"And you convinced Jackson to take Allison to the dance and watch her back from hunters?" I asked incredulously. It didn't sound like him.

Scott grimaced guiltily, "I may have also said that you needed protecting to, to convince him." He flinched at my look, "What? Jackson cares about you, it's obvious."

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of," I muttered to myself but I know he heard me.

"Don't worry about Isaac," Scott told me knowingly, "Everyone knows that you and Isaac are solid. Jackson isn't a threat to your relationship."

"What I'm worried about is getting Isaac to believe that," I said, sighing.

"What do you mean? Of course he knows," Scott said as we found a table in the cafeteria.

I huffed, "I don't know. It's just some of the things Isaac said on our date this weekend. It just felt like he was trying to prove himself, you know?"

"Well... you and Jackson are close," Scott shrugged, "I'd be a little insecure too I thought I had him as competition."

"There's no competition," Jessie insisted frustratedly.

"Guys never think there's no competition."

* * *

JESSIE'S POV

Bethany and I went to find a dress for me to wear to formal. I was looking at some blue dresses while Bethany looked at some green ones. I ignored the woman on the loud speaker talking about a blue Mazda getting towed. But as I held up a mermaid style blue dress up to my body in the mirror I gasped when I saw Peter behind me.

I whipped around as he tsked, "No, no, no. That dress does nothing for the beautiful contrast of your fair skin and dark hair."

"Don't try to intimidate me, Peter, I know you're not gonna hurt me," I told him, putting the dress back and looking down another isle.

"So certain, are you?" He asked.

I nodded, rifling through dresses to look at them, "You care about me because I was the only one who really cared about you without using you for power," I look at him, "When you were nothing but a vegetable."

He glared, "You overestimate my capacity for emotion."

"You have feelings, Peter, I know you do," I insisted, "If you didn't you wouldn't have spared me or Derek or Scott or his mom when you had many chances to strike. You care about me because I cared about you when no one else truly did. And I know you've threatened Allison to try and find Derek. But I have a feeling that you know what's going to happen as much as I do and all you really care about is taking Kate Argent down with you."

"So you know she's the one really responsible-"

"For the fire, yes," I responded, "It had to be her. And I realize how much you want her to pay-"

"But what?" Peter asked patronizingly, "Revenge isn't the answer?"

I rolled my eyes, "This isn't marvel comics. What I mean is that you're just making a bigger mess when you could have easily just taken her out without involving Allison and Scott. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"Trust me, Jessie," Peter told me, quickly kissing my forehead before walking off.

* * *

THIRD PERSON POV

"Unfortunately, Derek," Kate drawled, "If you're not gonna talk—I'm just gonna have to kill you." She stood up to stand in front of him, "So say hi to your sister for me. You did tell her about me, didn't you? The truth about the fire?"

Derek averted his eyes, ashamed at her mocking.

"Did you tell anybody? Oh, sweetie—that's just a lot of guilt to keep buried," Kate mocked, "It's not all your fault. You got tricked by a pretty face. It happens! Handsome young werewolf mistakenly falls in love with a super-hot girl who comes from a family that kills the werewolves." She grinned, very pleased with herself, "Is that ironic? Is it—ironic—that you're inadvertently helping me track down the rest of the pack—again?" She picked up his phone, "Or just a little bit of history repeating."

She realized something with a jolt, like a light bulb went off in her head, "History repeating... It's not Jackson, is it? Or that Jessie girl. No, they've got scratches but—they're not in love with Allison. Not like Scott."

* * *

"Jessie! Isaac's here honey."

Isaac could hear heels clicking on the wooden stairs and gaped when he saw his girlfriend descending into the living room. She was absolutely breathtaking. Her dress was a sweetheart neckline with no sleeves, blood red with black lace and a lacy see-through train. She wore matching heels and silver heart studs in her ears. Her hair was in soft curls pulled and pinned to fall down the right side of her neck.

"You look beautiful..." Isaac whispered in awe.

Jessie smiled, "Every time."

Paula smiled at their cuteness as she watched the young couple exchange a chaste kiss hello. She grabbed her camera from her husband and started snapping pictures.

Jessie broke the kiss when she saw a flash and groaned at her mother, "Mo-om."

"What?" Paula asked innocently, "They're just candids. Now stand over there and pose."

Jessie and Isaac endured Paula's photo shoot before Jessie grabbed the car keys, "We're gonna be late."

"Fine," Paula whined, hugging her daughter, "Have fun."

"We will," Jessie promised before going to hug her dad, "Night dad."

"Behave," Hunter warned, making her roll her eyes.

Paula hugged Isaac enthusiastically, making the boy a little uncomfortable with all the affection he wasn't used to. Hunter came to shake his hand, "Take care of my daughter."

"I will, sir," Isaac swore.

* * *

Jessie and Isaac walked hand in hand into the school gym, looking around at the decorations. Jessie squealed when she saw Allison and rushed over to her, "You look amazing!"

Allison smiled, "So do you—oh my god, that dress looks amazing. You look great too, Isaac."

Isaac blushed slightly, "Thanks, Allison."

"We'll see you out there, okay?" Jessie suggested, taking Isaac's hand so they could find something to drink.

The couple grabbed some punch and grabbed a table next to where Stiles and Lydia were sitting. "Hey guys."

Lydia looked over boredly before she realized it was Jessie, "Hey! That's a cute dress—where'd you get it?"

Jessie looked down, "There was a costume store next to the JC Penny at the mall. This is originally some vampiress dress."

"Nice," Stiles commented before looking at Lydia, "You wanna dance?"

She pursed her lips, "Pass."

Jessie smirked into her cup as she and Isaac watched the interaction with amusement.

"You know what?" Stiles slapped his hands on the table, standing up, "Let me try that again. Lydia—get off your cute little ass and dance with me now."

She looked unimpressed, "Interesting tactic. I'm gonna stick with no."

Stiles glowered at her, snapping, "Lydia, get up—okay? You're gonna dance with me. I don't care that you made out with my best friend for some weird power thing, I don't—Lydia, I've had a crush on you since the third grade. And I know that somewhere inside that cold, lifeless exterior there's an actual human soul. And I'm also pretty sure that I'm the only one who knows how smart you really are. Uh-huh. And that once you're done pretending to be a nitwit—you'll eventually go off and write some insane mathematical theorem that wins you the Nobel Prize."

Isaac and Jessie all gaped at his speech while Lydia's expression staid blank until she said, "A Fields Medal."

"What?" Stiles asked impatiently.

Lydia stood, depositing her purse on the table and taking Stiles hand, "Nobel doesn't have a prize for mathematics. The Fields Medal's the one I'll be winning." She dragged him onto the dance floor.

Jessie stared after the wide eyed while Isaac drank his drink and commented, "Man this school is like a bad soap opera. Unrequited love, Lydia kissing Scott as a power play, mysterious killings. What's next?"

Jessie shrugged, "Deep meaningful conversations about absolutely nothing."

He smirked and stood up, holding out his hand to her, "Will you dance with me?"

She smiled up at him and took his outstretched hand, "Of course."

Out on the dance floor Jessie put her arms around Isaac's neck and he rested his respectively on her waist. She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, breathing in the moment. Isaac rested his chin on top of her head, "This night is surreal."

Jessie pulled her head up to look at him confused, "How so?"

"Well..." He mused, "I'm at a High School dance... with a girl... who for some reason agreed to be my girlfriend... and is the most beautiful girl in the world to me."

"You've never been to a dance before?" She asked, "Or had a girlfriend?"

Isaac shook his head, "Is that bad?"

Jessie shrugged, "Just surprising."

Coach Finstock could be heard shouting for Scott. Jessie grinned, "Scott must have snuck in."

Isaac gave her a mock accusatory look, "Like you didn't know he would."

She stuck her tongue out at him, making him laugh.

The music suddenly cut out as the coach ran up to Scott, "You're not supposed to-" he broke off mid-sentence when he saw Scott dancing with Danny and everyone staring, "What the hell are you—what the hell are you doing?"

"Yes, Coach?" Scott asked innocently, holding Danny close.

"Okay, ho—ho—ho—ha ha. Hold on," Coach started getting fluster realizing how the situation must look, looking around at the other people, "I was just saying he's not supposed to—I mean, I wasn't saying that he shouldn't—You guys don't think—You don't—I—I was—Just dance, everybody. Just dance! Dance! It's a party!"

Jessie watched as Scott thanked Danny and went to dance with Allison and smiled, leaning back into Isaac. He kissed her head and whispered to himself, "I'm so lucky."

When the song ended, Jessie took his hand and started pulling him out of the gym toward a hallway, "Come on, I want to talk about something."

When she saw Isaac's face dropped she rushed to say, "Don't worry—I just want to ask you about something."

They got out in the hall by some lockers, "What's wrong, Jessie?"

"Nothing, I hope," she answered, "It's just I feel like you were trying to prove something on our date when you... yeah. And I know you worry about Jackson—but Isaac, you have nothing to worry about, okay? I'm with you because I like you and I don't want you to feel like you have to do certain things to keep me."

"Jessie..." Isaac sighed, caught, "You don't know what it's like to have someone like Jackson as competition. Okay?—I just can't keep up with that."

"There's no competition," Jessie insisted, "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do!" Isaac responded immediately, "I don't think you're gonna cheat or anything, I just-"

"You just think Jackson's gonna win me over and I'm going to leave you," Jessie finished bitterly.

Isaac sighed, "Is it really so impossible? I mean—He's stronger, a better lacrosse player, more popular. And it's obvious he has a thing for you-"

"He's not you," She interrupted him, "I don't care about who's more popular or stronger. I care about heart. And you have mine."

She didn't let him respond before smashing her lips to his. The moment heated up as Isaac pressed her against the lockers. Jessie whimpered as his lips descended down her neck, "Isaac..."

"Hey!" Stiles' voice interrupted with an awkward throat clearing, "Sorry to break up this live porn..."

Jessie and Isaac groaned as she rolled her eyes and they pulled away from each other to face Stiles.

"...but have you seen Lydia?"

"You're her date," Isaac pointed out.

"And she left to look for Jackson," Stiles replied.

"Guys," Jessie interrupted, "I have a bad feeling..."

"What?" Stiles frowned.

"Something bad is going to happen," She murmured, "We'll help you find Lydia..."

The three walked further down the hall when they saw a stumbling Jackson. Jessie ran up to him and grabbed his arm roughly, "What's wrong with you?"

"Where the hell have you been?" Stiles asked urgently, "Did Lydia ever find you?"

They saw Jackson's terrified and guilt ridden face. "What's wrong, Jackson?" Jessie asked with fear.

"I—I was out behind the school, and I—I was—out..."

"What happened?" Jessie asked impatiently.

"Jackson. What did you do?"


	15. Blood for Water

_They saw Jackson's terrified and guilt ridden face. "What's wrong, Jackson?" Jessie asked with fear._

_"I—I was out behind the school, and I—I was—out..."_

_"What happened?" Jessie asked impatiently._

_"Jackson. What did you do?"_

The three of them were running toward the lacrosse field when Jessie stopped, "Guys!"

They both turned and Stiles snapped impatiently, "What? What?"

"I have a really bad feeling!" She yelled, "You guys go get Lydia—I need to help Scott."

Isaac stepped over to her, "I'll go with you."

But she shook her head, "No go with Stiles, you'll be safe."

"What's going on?" Isaac asked.

Jessie sighed, "I know you know I've been keeping things from you. And I have—but it's not because I didn't want to tell you. It's just that it wasn't my secret to tell and you were better off not knowing."

"What the hell are you talking about!?"

"I promise I'll explain it all later but you really have to go with Stiles now, okay? Please," Jessie pleaded urgently.

Isaac took in her panicked expression and nodded helplessly, "What about you?"

"I'll be fine," She assured him, kissing his lips and running off in the other direction.

* * *

Isaac was confused and terrified when he and Stiles ran to find a bloody Lydia on the ground and a man standing over her. Stiles skidded on his knees, "Don't kill her. Please."

"Of course not," He said patronizingly, "Just tell me how to find Derek."

"Wh-what?" Stiles gasped.

"Tell me how to find Derek Hale."

"I don't know that. How would I know that?" Stiles asked as they both stood.

"Because you're the clever one, aren't you?" Peter mused, "And because deception has a particularly acrid scent, Stiles. Tell me the truth—or I will rip her apart." As he said this, his claws elongated against Lydia's throat.

"Look—Look, I don't know, okay?" Stiles pleaded, "I sw-swear to god, I have no idea."

"Tell me!" Peter demanded.

"Okay, okay, okay, look, I—I think he knew-" Stiles stuttered nervously, panic seizing his vocal cords.

"Knew what?"

"Derek—I think he knew he was gonna be caught."

"By the Argents?"

"The Argents?" Isaac gasped, "As in Allison? What's going on?"

"Later, Isaac," Stiles snapped, looking at Peter, "I think he took Scott's phone. They all have GPS. If he still has it, and if it's still on—you can find him."

"Let's go," Peter grinned maliciously.

Stiles stuttered helplessly at Isaac, "I need you to take her to the school and get her help. Now."

"What? Where are you going? What about Jessie?" Isaac fired off.

"Isaac! We don't have time for that! Just do it!" Stiles' demanded, shoving the boy toward Lydia's unconscious form.

* * *

Jessie ran to find Scott running away from Chris and Allison. She sighed, "Oh no.." and ran after Scott in the woods, yanking her heels off and ignoring Allison confusedly yelling her name after her. She chased Scott until he stumbled and tripped into the twigs and dirt, screaming out in devastation and crying.

She knelt by him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, bringing him close as he muttered in despair, "She knows... she saw me..."

"I'm so sorry Scott," Jessie kissed his head motherly, "We'll fix this. We'll figure this out. But we have to act fast."

* * *

"Good luck getting a signal down here. Oh, MiFi," Stiles commented. Then Peter pulled out a laptop. "And you're a Mac guy. Does that go for all werewolves, or just a personal preference?"

Peter gave him a stern look, "Turn it on. Get connected."

"You know, you're really killing the whole werewolf mystique thing here," Stiles stated as he went to work, "Look, you still need Scott's username and password, and I'm sorry, but I don't know them."

"You know both of them."

"No, I don't," Stiles insisted.

"Even if I couldn't hear your heartbeat, I would still be able to tell that you're lying."

"Dude, I swear to God-"

Peter slammed his head into the keyboard, "I can be very persuasive, Stiles. Don't make me persuade you."

* * *

Jackson stormed into the hospital room where the police were interrogating a very confused Isaac while he stared at his phone, waiting for word from Jessie or Stiles or... somebody.

"Where is she?" Jackson asked but the Sheriff grabbed him and slammed him into the wall outside Lydia's room.

"Hey. Hey! What the hell happened to that girl?"

"I—I don't know. Lahey's the one who carried her into the school—"

"Don't lie to me, son," Sheriff Stilinski commanded.

"This isn't my fault!"

"She's your girlfriend! That's you responsibility!"

"No, she's not, okay? She didn't go to the formal with me," Jackson admitted.

"Then who'd she go with?"

"You really wanna know?" Jackson asked, "Stiles took her."

* * *

Marissa finished cleaning the oven and sighed looking at the clock and seeing that it was almost midnight.

Derek wasn't coming.

* * *

"You're gonna kill people, aren't you?" Stiles asked with dread.

"Only the responsible ones," Peter assured.

"Look," Stiles sighed, "If I do this, you have to promise to leave Scott out of it."

"It's funny that you don't mention Jessie," Peter mused, looking over his shoulder.

"Because I know you won't hurt her," Stiles answered with certainty.

"And how could you know that?" Peter hissed, his eyes flashing red.

"Because you love her," Stiles answered, "Not romantically. But like Derek and Scott and I love her. She's family. And pack in your mind. She cared about you when you were a burnt out old man and now she still cares about you."

"Do you know why wolves hunt in packs?" Peter changed the subject, "It's because their favorite prey is too large to be brought down by one wolf alone. I need Derek and Scott. I need both of them."

"He's not gonna help you kill people," Stiles said, "And neither will Jessie."

"Oh, Scott will. Because it'll save Allison. And maybe I can persuade Jessie it'll save her little boyfriend. And you will, because it'll save them. Including your best friend, who you know so well, you even have his username and password."

Stiles sighed and typed in the username.

"His username is 'Allison'?"

Stiles typed in the password, making Peter deadpan, "His password is also 'Allison'?"

"Still want him in your pack?"

* * *

"You have to howl."

"What?" Scott asked confused.

Jessie nodded, now changed into a black thermal and jeans while Scott changed into jeans and a leather jacket, "Remember? A wolf howls to signal it's position to the rest of the pack. It can work both ways, you howl, Derek hears you, howls back, we find him. So howl."

* * *

"Wait, what the-" Stiles cut off, confused, "That's where they're keeping him? At his own house?"

"Not at it," Peter realized, "Under it. I know exactly where that is." A howl was heard ripping through the airways in Peter's sensitive ears, "And I'm not the only one."

* * *

"I like you, Stiles," Peter told the teenage human, "Since you've helped me, I'm going to give you something in return. Do you want the bite?"

Stiles gaped at him, "What?"

"Do you want the bite?" Peter repeated, "If it doesn't kill you – and it could – you'll become like us."

"Like you..." Stiles muttered in awe and fear.

Peter rolled his eyes, "Yes, a werewolf. Would you like me to draw you a picture?" Stiles was still dumbfounded so Peter went on to inform him, " That first night in the woods, I took Scott because I needed a new pack. It could've easily been you. You'd be every bit as powerful as him. No more standing by his side, watching him become stronger and quicker and more popular, watching him get the girl. You'd be equals. Maybe more." He lifted Stiles arm to his mouth, "Yes or no?" As he waited he began to get impatient, opening his mouth to bite.

Stiles yanked his hand out of Peter's grip on impulse, "I don't wanna be like you."

Peter grinned, "Do you know what I heard just then? Your heart beating slightly faster over the words 'I don't want.' You may believe that you're telling me the truth, but you are lying to yourself—Goodbye, Stiles."

* * *

Stiles ran into the hospital to see Lydia when his father accosted him, "You know what? It's good that we're in a hospital, because I'm gonna kill you."

"I'm—I'm sorry. I lost the keys to my jeep. I had to run all the way here," Stiles tried to explain.

"Stiles, I don't care!" His dad shouted.

Stiles looked into the window at Lydia and her tear-filled mother, "Is she gonna be okay?"

"They don't know," Sheriff Stilinski sighed, "partially because they don't know what happened. She lost a lot of blood, but there's something else going on with her."

"What do you mean?"

"They doctors say it's like she's having an allergic reaction. Her body keeps going into shock. Did you see anything? I mean, do you have any idea who or what attacked her?"

Stiles hesitated before shaking his head, "No. no, I have no idea."

"What about Scott?"

Stiles looked at his dad in shock, "What do you mean—he's not here?"

"I've been calling him on his phone. No response," He replied.

Isaac stood up from a nearby chair, "Jessie isn't answering her phone either – and that's not like her."

* * *

The bald guy torturing Derek smirked, "My knuckles are getting tired. So I brought some help," he smiled maliciously and held up a bat.

Suddenly a girl sprung into the room, in front of the man. She threw her fist into his nose, kneed him in between his legs, and when he bent over she grabbed his head and smashed it into her knee. While he was down on the grounds she grabbed the bat he dropped and hit him over the head, knocking him out.

Scott and Derek stared at Jessie in awe as she panted, undoing on of Derek's bindings. She stepped back, "Before I undo the other one, Scott has something to tell you about Peter." She said so reluctantly, wanting to free Derek and save Peter but she knew Peter was beyond it at this point.

Scott scrambled to take out the picture of the deer with the spiral in it's side, "My boss told me three months ago someone came into the clinic asking for a copy of this picture. It was Peter's nurse. They brought your sister here so that Peter could kill her and become the Alpha, and that's why you're going to help me."

Jessie sighed and saw how angry Derek was getting and undid his other binding. Derek glared into the floor, "I'll help you."

* * *

Stiles, Jackson and Isaac were tossed into a examination room by Chris and his henchman. Chris slammed Stiles into the tin cabinets, "Let me ask you a question, Stiles. Have you ever seen a rabid dog?"

"No. I could put it on my to-do list, if you just let me go."

Chris was not amused, "Well, I have. And the only thing I've ever been able to compare it to is seeing a friend of mine turn on a full moon. Do you wanna know what happened?"

"Not really," Stiles admitted, "No offense to your storytelling skills."

"He tried to kill me, and I was forced to put a bullet in his head," Chris rehashed, "The whole while that he lay there dying, he was still trying to claw his way toward me, still trying to kill me, like it was the most important thing he could do with his last breath. Can you imagine that? Didn't Scott try to kill you on the full moon? Did you have to lock him up?"

Stiles frowned, "Yeah, I did. I handcuffed him to a radiator. Why? Would you prefer I locked him in the basement and burned the whole house down around him?"

Chris smirked barely, "I hate to dispel a popular rumor, Stiles, but we never did that."

"Oh, right," Stiles said, "Jessie said you guys have codes. I guess no one ever breaks it."

"Never," Chris swore.

"What if someone does?" Stiles asked, taking out his phone, "What if the same someone who burned the Hales, also breaks into the house to attack Derek and try to kill him?" He pressed play on the recording Jessie had sent to his and Scott's phone.

" _900,000 volts. You never were good with electricity, were you? Or fire,_ " it was Kate's voice from the day Jessie went to talk to Derek. Stiles skipped ahead to the end of it, " _Unless... you don't know who he is either... tsk Wow. Guess who just became totally useless?_ " And then gunfire split through the air as Jessie's gasp was heard before it cut out.

"Yeah..." Stiles glared, "Your sister."

* * *

Jessie supported Derek as they followed Scott toward the Hale house. Derek stopped walking, "Hey. Hold on. Something doesn't feel right."

Scott turned back to look at them, "What do you mean?"

"I feel like we're being watched," Jessie squeaked fearfully. Derek tightened his arm around her to give her some peace.

Suddenly an arrow whistled through the air and hit Derek in his shoulder, grazing Jessie's forehead. He groaned. "Derek!"

Another arrow hit him in the leg, making him stumble and fall from Jessie's arms. She knelt by him and looked around, catching sight of Kate and Allison – the latter with a crossbow. Scott gaped at the sight.

Jessie shouted, "Cover your eyes!" and dug her face in Derek's neck when the flash bolt arrow whizzed through the air and hit the tree behind them, light blinding Scott.

Jessie looked up and broke the arrow in Derek's leg, prepared to push it out. Derek gently pushed her away, getting up on a limp and grabbing Scott's collar, "Get up! Let's go!" He and Jessie dragged Scott closer to the house before Derek couldn't walk anyone longer and collapsed, leaving Jessie to stand by him and Scott to keep crawling before he turned at footsteps behind him, "Allison, I can explain."

"Stop lying," Allison snapped, "For once stop lying."

"I was gonna tell you the truth at the formal," He explained, "I was gonna tell you everything. Because everything that I said, everything that I did-"

"Was to protect me," Allison guessed.

"Yes," Scott sighed.

Allison looked down at him with tears and betrayal in her eyes, "I don't believe you."

"Thank god," Kate groaned, "Now, shoot him before I have to shoot myself."

Allison looked at her aunt confused, "You—you said we were just gonna catch them."

"We did that," Kate said, "Now we're gonna kill them." She raised her gun to shoot Derek but before her trigger finger could even think to move Jessie shouted out, kicking the gun away from her and ducking to grab the but of the gadget, holding it on Kate, "Don't move!"

Kate smirked, "You're not gonna shoot me."

Allison looked scared as Jessie glared coldly, "I'm confident that I don't need this gun to kill you. But I'm sure it helps. Just try me."

Kate made to take a step but Jessie shot at the ground in front of her feet, making Kate stop – now unsure – and Allison gasp. "You're no psycho killer, girl," Kate warned.

Jessie gripped the gun expertly, "Like you told Allison after that night in school—you don't have to be psychotic to be a killer."

Allison gasped, "How did you know that?"

But Jessie went on, ignoring her, "You just need a reason. And you've given plenty of people, plenty of reasons to kill you Kate. You burned twelve people alive – innocent people. You left Peter burned and broken for six years and turned him into a power driven Alpha that's killing the people who helped you. And now you're trying to kill me and Derek and Scott – boys I love like brothers. So you tell me what you think I'm capable of."

Kate suddenly crouched to pull out another gun from her ankle and point it back at Jessie, "Put it down."

"No you put it down, Kate," Chris' voice sounded.

Kate tilted her head to see her brother. Allison gasped as a tear tracked down her cheek, seeing her aunt and best friend hold guns on each other.

Chris shook his head, "There were children in that house, ones who were human. Look what you're doing now – holding a gun on a sixteen year old girl, a human one, just protecting herself and her friend. We go by the code – Nous chassons ceux qui nous chassent."

"We hunt those who hunt us," Allison whispered in realization.

"Put the gun down," Chris pulled out his own gun to point at her, "Before I put you down."

The red door of the Hale house could be heard creaking then. Everyone's attention shot to the opening door. Chris commanded Allison to get back.

Chris and Kate turned their guns to the door and Jessie lowered hers to her side as she knelt down by Derek who was still disoriented.

Allison asked in fear, "What is it?"

"It's the Alpha," Scott answered as he crouched in action.

Suddenly a blur of motion shot out and whipped behind them. It shout out and knocked Chris out. It knocked Allison down and her bow out of her hands. While Jessie bent down to help her up, the blur tripped Scott. Kate waved her gun around, shouting, "Come on, come on!"

Peter appeared beside her and grabbed her arm when she tried to shoot him. She shot twice as he bent her arm painfully, her whining the whole time. He grabbed her throat and threw her onto the porch before dragging her into the house.

Allison shouted, "No!" running into the house, Jessie right behind her.

They ran in to find Peter holding Kate in front of him by the throat.

"She is beautiful, Kate," Peter spoke, "She looks like you. Probably not as damaged," he dug his nails just a little deeper into the skin of her neck. "So I'm going to give you a chance to save her. Apologize." His voice was starting to grow weak and thick with emotion, "Say that you're sorry for decimating my family, for leaving me burned—and broken—for six—years."

Allison cried at her aunt's terrified expression.

"Say it—and I'll let her live."

Kate's breath came in faster in fear as she whispered, "I'm sorry."

Peter paused to listen – he didn't like what he heard – and he clawed Kate's throat out. Her body fell on it's side as Allison gasped loudly in the night air, her eyes frozen open in death and her neck bleeding onto the wooden floor.

Peter looked between Kate's body and Allison, "I don't know about you, Allison, but that apology—didn't sound very sincere."

He took a step toward her but Jessie stood in front of her with her gun raised, "Peter, please!" She was saved from having to do what she didn't want to do when Derek and Scott appeared, flanking her sides, wolfed out.

"Run," Scott growled. Jessie grabbed Allison's hand and they ran out the back door, going around to the front to Allison's dad. She knelt by him and shook him, "Dad. Dad!"

* * *

Stiles raced Jackson's Porsche through the woods with Isaac in the back seat. Jackson accosted him, "Hey, hey, hey. This isn't exactly an all-terrain vehicle."

"Yeah. Did you pay for it?" Stiles asked.

Jackson hesitated, admitting, "No."

"Then shut up."

* * *

Allison was still trying to wake her father when the door burst open with Scott flying through the air and landing on the woods' floor. The Alpha – fully transformed – stalked out and grabbed Scott's collar, pulling him up from the ground.

Suddenly a car honk was heard as Stiles pulled up. The teen boys jumped out of the car and Stiles threw a beaker at the Alpha. But the beast caught it, making Stiles curse, "Oh damn."

Jesse thought quickly and fired her gun at the beaker, sparking the explosion that caught the Alpha on fire. Jackson looked down at his beaker in wonder before throwing it at the Alpha. It exploded, making the fire grow as the Alpha growled in pain. It turned to Jessie and Allison.

Scott shouted, "No!" and whacked into the Alpha, making it crawl a little ways away to collapse onto the ground, now turned to Peter as a human.

Isaac called out Jessie's name as he frantically ran for her. She finally noticed he was there and safe and rushed to meet him, their lips crashing together and arms wrapping around each other, reveling in their lives. Isaac pulled back and they pressed their foreheads together, "I'm so glad you're okay."

Jessie sniffed and nodded, "I'm so sorry you had to get dragged into all this..."

"Don't," Isaac cut her off, kissing her again, still not believing what was happening. The couple pulled away when they heard Scott shout "Wait!" They saw Derek standing over a still living Peter.

"You said the cure comes from the one who bit you. Derek. If you do this, I'm dead. Her father, her family—what am I supposed to do?" Scott pleaded loudly.

"You've—already—decided," Peter croaked under him, "I can smell it on you!"

Derek growled and brought his claw down, ignoring Scott shouting, "Wait! No, no! Don't!" and slashed Peter's throat. Jessie whimpered, tears flowing down her cheeks as she dug her face in Isaac's chest to stop from seeing. He stroked her hair and whispered to comfort her.

"I'm the Alpha now."

* * *

"So there's werewolves and an Alpha, that Derek killed so he's the Alpha now. And Scott's a werewolf in love with Allison but her family are werewolf hunters?" Isaac tried to sum up in Jessie's room. He sat up against her headboard as she laid down next to him, her head resting on his lap.

She sighed, "I guess. And I still don't know what's wrong with me. I've had these feelings that end up coming true. I've had bouts of strength and knowledge that I can't explain. I just-"

Isaac pulled her up his side to face him, "There's nothing wrong with you."

"There's something else..." Jessie trailed off, grabbing her mother's letter from the nightstand, "At the end here there's a sentence in German. Wir jagen die tiere, die unschuldiges blut schwappt. It was the Grimm code I guess."

"What does it mean?" Isaac asked her.

Jessie hesitated, staring at the letter, "It means... We hunt the beast that spills innocent blood. I think it means that my mom's family was a family of hunters."

"What does that mean for you?" He asked, "I mean, you have 'powers'. I would have guessed you'd be something supernatural."

"That's what I was guessing too," Jessie said, "Maybe the Grimm line mixed with something supernatural along the way... or maybe my power comes from my Dad. As little I know about my mom's family—I know less about my dad's."

* * *

Jackson stumbled into the Hale house calling out, "Derek. Derek! I—I helped you. I helped save you. Okay, you got what you wanted. Now it's my turn to get what I want."

* * *

"So you're not mad at me for keeping this all from you?" Jessie asked her boyfriend.

He shook his head, "Of course not. You were protecting me and your friends. And it wasn't your secret to go around telling people. You are still the most beautiful girl in the world to me."

"I love you," Jessie said for the first time.

Isaac gaped dumbly at her for a moment before the brightest smile illuminated his face, "I love you too, Jessie."

They pressed their lips together and smiled. It was over...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EPILOGUE
> 
> Crickets chirped loudly in the night air as a beat up rustic blue truck pulled up to a house two streets down from the Hansen House. An old man waited in the passengers seat for his teenage son to walk around and help him into his wheelchair.
> 
> "Alex, I think we should register you for Beacon Hills High School on Monday."
> 
> "Very well."
> 
> THE END


End file.
